There will be a test . . .

The school year is winding down and visions of swimming pools, and bikes, and long summer nights dance in the head of every child. Their teachers sound just like Charlie Brown’s teacher, “wah wah wah..wah wah wah....”   There is always that tension of staying focused until after finals, and the care free summer video playing in their head.

That is still true of me, and it has been a while since I was walking up and down the halls of a school.  Life still has tests that I am expected to pass.   As a Christ follower, there are certain truths that I am expected to learn and then implement in my life.  I am expected to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.  We are called to be life time learners, and like it or not, periodically we are tested.

First off, I am not a big fan of tests.  They make me a little nauseous.  I can’t sleep the night before, and the day of the test I can’t eat, and my hands sweat.  I would prefer to avoid them all together, but as I have mentioned, they are coming regardless so I better be paying attention.  There is an old proverb that says; “If you don’t have time to do it right you must have time to do it over.”  Do overs are great in some areas of my life, but when it comes to tests, I would rather only take the test once.

I find that even though I have passed mile marker 60, I still have some of those high school tendencies.  I am just merrily going through life and then there is a test.  Somehow I am still caught off guard that there is actually a test.  All those days that I was reading my Bible and talking with the Lord I was actually supposed to be learning something?  I was supposed to remember what the Lord was saying to me?  I want to say that I didn’t know there would be a test, but that would not be true. As much as I do not like tests, I know they are coming and I know they are good for me.  Yes, I said good for me.  I know that tests allow me to put into use truths from the word and apply them to my everyday ordinary life. I know the test sorts out what I really have taken to heart and what I just thought sounded nice, but not applicable to me.   I know I should be paying attention in class, I know I should be taking notes; I know I should be doing my homework, so that when the test comes I will be prepared.  But sometimes I just don’t.  And the test comes.  And I am alone.  And I do not know the answers or I know the answer but just blow it.  I look around frantically for my Teacher wondering why He has left me alone feeling scared and nauseous and my hands sweating.

Then I remember a statement that I read somewhere, “Teachers are always silent during a test.”  At the time I read it, I thought it was a cool statement and something to think about, but it has become one of those statements that keeps looping around my brain. 

The simple truth of the statement strikes me.  Teachers are silent during a test.  So as my teacher, Jesus has been teaching me all along to pass this test.  He has been showing me insights and truths in His word.  He has allowed me to hear songs, hear sermons, hear podcasts that speak to what I am now being tested on.  I should have been paying more attention!!  Who knew there would be a test?  I knew!!  How many times in my Christian life has Jesus been silent during a testing time in my life and I have gone bonkers wondering why He isn’t directing me, why He isn’t leading me, why He seems to have left me on my own.  That is when this statement loops back around, “Teachers are silent during a test.”    The Lord has not left me, but He is silent waiting for me to remember everything He has been teaching me.

I can tell you right now I am not a straight A student.  I have had my fair share of “F’s.”  I have taken a lot of pop quizzes that I really should have aced, but just didn’t have my head in the game at the time the quiz was given.  I have fought through some really hard testing seasons.  If there were no tests, I would just keep going through life with my head in the clouds.  Jesus has better than that for me.  He is teaching to the goal of transformation.  I can also tell you this - I have the best teacher ever!!!!!  He is creative, He is innovative, He is available 24/7 for extra tutoring and most of all - He loves me.  

 James 1:2-4 (MSG) Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.