College Education

At long last, my article on college education is complete. It is a fitting time, as I graduated from high school on June 7, 2013. The logical next step for most people is college, and it is certainly something my family and I have given much thought to over the past couple of years. Based on the information we have garnered, the people we have talked to, and my specific calling to be a godly homemaker, we have come to the conclusion that college is not the wisest or most profitable occupation for me. I am by no means implying that this is the right decision for everyone, only that all things must be wisely and prayerfully considered regarding this issue in every individual case. We mustn’t simply jump on board the cultural bandwagon, but rather seek the Lord’s will in our lives and follow it, no matter how odd or outdated it may seem to our society. With these things in mind, I hope that you will think through this article and be blessed by it.

Nine Reasons Why I Am not Following the Popular College Route

1. College is not the beginning of knowledge.

Contrary to popular opinion, college does not give us the knowledge we need to live by. It isn’t a light to our path or a lamp to our feet. Our society views college as the road that leads to wisdom and success in life.  Scripture, however, says something entirely different. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Similarly, Proverbs 9:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Therefore, for me to pursue college as the world does - for the ultimate wisdom and understanding that will make me successful in life - would be foolishness. Only the fear of the Lord can truly make me successful, which leads to the second point.

2. The typical college does not teach the fear of the Lord, nor does it fulfill the requirement of wise company.

Since the fear of the Lord is the beginning - the starting point - of all knowledge, a college’s first goal should be to instruct in righteousness. However, as we all know, this is most definitely not the case. In fact, blatant paganism is more welcome on campus than Christianity, and increasingly Christians are prohibited from evangelizing on college grounds. It follows, then, that colleges actually teach foolishness. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” The majority of colleges today teach evolution and atheism rather than the fear of God. Furthermore, Scripture says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Even as a strong Christian, the Lord warns us not to partake in bad company. A place where the majority of people fear man rather than God, who reject the reality of God, and who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” would certainly qualify as bad company. It isn’t college that leads to blessing. Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.”

3. A college degree is not a savior.

This may sound rather extreme, but when everything is boiled down, many people view a degree as some kind of savior. We have had many people ask us, “What if something happens to Stephanie’s husband so that he cannot work, shouldn’t she be prepared with a college education so she can support the family?” While on the surface this sounds reasonable, in reality it reflects a dependence upon the degree instead of on the Lord. I am commanded to follow the Lord’s call for my life and to obey trustfully. He is in charge of everything, and knows what is going to happen in my life. Therefore, I do not have to be afraid about the future, because He has it all planned out. My reliance for provision in times of trial is on Him alone, not on a piece of paper I received. In fact, the Lord provides for everyone, those with and without college degrees. I know the Lord will bless my obedience to His commands as Genesis 26:1-5 illustrates:

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

4. A college degree is not security.

Following from the above point, it is by no means guaranteed that a college degree will land a job. In fact, a study in 2011 revealed that eight out of ten college graduates were moving back home. College graduates are having significant difficulty finding work, and in June of 2012 the number of jobless graduates was almost 2,000,000. Furthermore, many who are employed don’t work in the field of their study. In our economy, it is just as difficult for a college graduate to find work as it is for a layman to do so. Thus, a degree really provides very little job security.

5. College does not contribute to contentment in my role, nor is it the best use of my single years.

The call the Lord has placed on my life is that of Proverbs 31 and Titus 2. I am preparing to be a submissive wife, mother and teacher, and homemaker. There are so many more details involved in this call, but as that is not the subject of this post, I will confine it to this description. College not only does not contribute to this role, it creates a discontentment with such a role. In studying anywhere from two to twelve years of my life towards a specific career, am I then going to easily and nonchalantly give that career up to be at home? Why would I use the single years the Lord has given me to study something which I will not be pursuing, in an atmosphere which disdains the call I have been given? It simply doesn’t make sense in light of the previous points, the contrary environment, and the time involved in something I won’t be able to pursue. My single years should be used in learning all of the various aspects of my career: that of wife, mother, and homemaker. If I spend that time on college, I will already be behind on knowing how to properly and efficiently run a household.

6. College narrows a woman’s work field.

In fact, why would I want to study one area of interest when I could study many? Why would I concentrate all of my time on a history degree, when during the same amount of time on my own I could learn about cooking, gardening, sewing, home business, raising children, teaching children, self-sufficiency, frugality, financing, holistic medicine, and many more fields? The knowledge base of a truly prepared Proverbs 31 woman is extensive, and ranges multiple degrees. What good is a history degree going to do me when I need to cook a five-course meal? However, I could learn how to cook a five-course meal and learn about history at the same time. The sky is the limit to the fields of study useful in the home.

7. Post-high school education is not limited to college.

As stated in the above point, there are so many fields of study for a Proverbs 31 woman. For as many topics as there are to study there are books. College is not necessary in order to gain an extensive knowledge of a topic. How many things have you learned through simply reading on your own? In fact, college primarily consists of reading and studying on your own anyway. In addition to books, there are local classes, online classes, and so many resources at our fingertips.

8. College debt does not help my future husband.

Proverbs 31:11-12 says, “The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” One of the greatest strains on a marriage is debt, and by incurring significant debt in college many women are doing their future husbands evil and not good. Furthermore, the Lord specifically warns against debt as slavery, and bringing slavery into a marriage is not the wisest course of action.

9. Many of the successful entrepreneurs never received college degrees.

Many of our founding fathers never even attended school, much less college. But perhaps you think that in order to succeed in today’s world, you must have a college degree. Though as discussed earlier success in this way without the Lord is actually foolishness, a healthy understanding of the lack of necessity for college even in this regard is in order. Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc, dropped out of college at age 19, never achieving the degree for which he was studying. Henry Ford, of Ford Motor Company, never even graduated high school. Bill Gates dropped out of college and established Microsoft. Rachel Ray never received a culinary college education. Steven Spielberg, known as one of the best filmmakers and co-founder of DreamWorks, dropped out of college. Finally, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook and the youngest person to achieve status on Forbes 400, never received a college degree¹. These people represent the highest pier of worldly success, and none of them attained a college degree. Remember, though, that worldly success is not what we are to strive for, but rather to be like Christ more every day.

I know that these ideas seem strange, and perhaps to some offensive. It is not my goal to offend anyone, but simply to give my reasons why I will not be attending the traditional, popular method of post-high school education. I realize the necessity for college in some occupations, such as that of doctor or nurse. However, for the calling of the woman in Scripture, there is no need to pursue college. This does not mean that I stop learning. In fact, I plan to learn a great deal in a plethora of fields. My focus is on the role the Lord has given me, and the plan He has for my life in regards to my further education. This is not a one-size-fits-all article, because the Lord’s plans are individual and specific. However, never try to fit the cultural expectations into the Lord’s calling for your life, but simply follow Him in faith. He will lead you to the best possible place. I leave you with my favorite verse, Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

1. http://learnfinancialplanning.com/famous-people-who-didnt-go-to-college/