things i wish someone told me...

A week ago I walked across a stage, grabbed a piece of paper in a fancy leather cover, shook President John MacArthur's hand, got my picture taken, and graduated from college. I learned a lot in the...oh, I don't know 5-6 years it took me to finish...and I would not trade in the experiences I have had and the places I have been and the people I have met and the lessons God has taught me outside of the classroom. Nevertheless, there are aspects of the way I handled my education that I think, no, know I could have done better. During my time in college there was a lot going on in my life...who doesn't have a lot going on while they were in college? I wish I could have gotten past just trying to survive and really enjoy the opportunity to learn. So many people tried to tell me to do this...I wish I had listened a little better...maybe even settled for a lesser grade to have actually learned the material better. I will not waste time looking back...as my totally awesome brother John reminded me from the words of Mark Twain "Never let schooling get in the way of your education." As I look at the time I have in front of me I am excited with how I can use it to study and learn whatever I want. I am resolved not to waste the time God has given me to be single and work and learn. I am excited for what He has ahead of me. Anyways, all of this thinking was inspired by a portion of a message given by John Piper to some graduates of a one year program at Bethlehem...I hope you take the time to at least skim it...

From the Intro:

I don’t feel excited when I hear questions like: “You want to be a firefighter? Why are you in college?” “You want to be a homemaker? Why are you in college?”

We’re in school to see a whole panorama of life that comes out in all manifestations of disciplines in the hope that all these beams of light refracted in human minds will lead us to the source of all things so that we know him better.

Every time I send Talitha off to school—she’s in the 5th grade—I try to remember to connect for her what she’s about to do today with Jesus. And not in a superficial way like, if you know this fact it might be useful in witnessing, though that’s true and wonderful. But rather, if you study math, you’re going to know God better. I promise you. As you advance through the complexities of math—from 5th grade to Calculus—you will find out things about the nature of the mind of God that you would not get any other way. It’s the same thing with the way language works. Same thing with processes in history. Same thing in politics and social studies. And art.

So thank you so much for believing that and not being too worried about what you’re going to do when you grow up. You know, I went 4 years to Wheaton, 3 years to Fuller, 3 years to graduate school and at age 28 did not know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I just knew a few central realities: I love the Bible. I want to use it to help other people obey it for Jesus’ sake. That leaves open a lot of possibilities! So you know what I did? I took the first job that was offered to me. Then I took the second job that was offered to me and I’ve been here ever since. So I’m here to try to share a little wisdom. And I could care less—as long as it’s not sin—what vocation you use this wisdom in.

Mistake #1: Big is better than small.
God uses little David-like people to accomplish huge Goliath-like things because he is jealous to get the credit. Don’t worry about big. Worry about faithful.

Mistake #2: New is better than old.
Read old books. You need the wisdom of the ages to combat the folly of the present. When you read books from today, don’t read first and mainly books by emergent writers. Read books first and mainly by old men—J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul—men with long battled years who have learned not only from the Bible and from books, but from life.
In school, it doesn’t matter what you major in. Just find the wisest teachers and take everything from them. When great changes happen, it's not from new ideas. The reformation was a great leap forward precisely by going backward.

Mistake #3: Having is better than being. There’s no correlation between the fullness of life and the muchness of having. Don’t reduce your education to acquiring marketable skills. Study to become and behold, not to be rich.

Mistake #4: Visible is better than invisible.
The most important things are not visible. God is invisible and he is the greatest reality of all. If you structure your life around sight, it will be out of touch with reality. Do not be much interested in outward appearance. Be interested in inner realities.

From the conclusion:
If God is God—and he is—small with him is better than big with anybody. His old things are better than anybody’s new things. Being his child is better than having the world. And better to be blind with the invisible God than to see everything without him.

you can read this in its original context at http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/