Learning in Wartime

Not all are called to a life of education and learning.  Just an assortment of jobs are vital for an army to achieve victory in a war so are different vocations important for Christians in a spiritual battle.  Lewis explains that “The intellectual life is not the only road to God, nor the safest, but we find it to be a road, and it may be the appointed road for us.”  I may not be called to be an intellectual life but God has put me in a community with the purpose of learning.  Consequently, my present vocation is to learn all I can about God and his creation. 

            In the chaos and desperation of war some might say an education is pointless.  They might say that saving more souls, in the case of a spiritual war, is more important than learning certain things such as poetry, history, or science.  Although it is very important to witness to unbelievers it is almost just as important to educate oneself.  Learning the Laws of God’s universe teach us more about him and his glory.  We can observe the genius of God through his creation.  In this way education strengthens our faith.  Education also allows us to compete or fight on the same as those who do not share the same vision of the Kingdom of heaven.   By learning we become thinkers and can respond to the clever arguments of those around us. 

            Learning thus makes us soldiers in a war, just as the evangelist.  Although the evangelist works primarily on the frontlines of the battle, the scholar is a versatile soldier.  He can help to defend the faith, educate other Christians, and even witness to other people.  The scholar is also in much danger.  He can have his faith strengthened through discourses with other intellectuals, but those same discourses could shatter his faith.  His pride can take advantage of him and he can fall prey to his own genius.

            Since education can be a vocation it must be taken seriously.  We must offer ourselves as living sacrifices and put our full effort into our studies.  We do this to glorify and worship the God who created us.  Learning is a means by which we can know God better and thus love him more passionately.