What is the greatest obstacle to education? poor teacher training? decrepit facilities? inadequate curriculum? outdated teaching methods? or, lack of money? According to seminary and Christian college prof. T. David Gordon, the greatest obstacle to education is, “the student himself, his parochialism, his laziness, his reluctance to abandon his current viewpoints, his resistance to disciplined intellectual effort, his complacent self-satisfaction with his present attainment and understanding.” Surprised? Shocked? If you think Gordon is just being an ornery troglodyte, an ancient observer noticed the same over 2,400 years ago — Socrates! To meet the challenge, Gordon says the best educators try to “infect” their students with a love of learning (and a hatred of parochialism!).
You’d think education would come “naturally” to Jesus’ disciples (“learners”), but it doesn’t seem to. It takes the Holy Spirit to overcome our (sinful) resistance to learning.