What I never want to become...

Inspired by: a certain professor of mine


The other day I had a mid-term in one of my classes. On this mid term we had to describe what the Synoptic Problem is, and also state our own view and justify our thoughts on the topic.
Now, since all of the followers of the Observant Hippie understand what the synoptic problem is, I am not going to go into details about the synoptic problem. Let’s just stick to the basic, who wrote their gospel first, Matthew? Mark? Or Luke?
After answering the first pat of this question on my mid-term, I began the second part. I began to write down my thoughts about the synoptic problem and how I tend to lean towards the Farrer theory that Mark wrote his gospel first, but I also think there are parts of Matthew that have a lot more detail than Mark so, maybe Matthew wrote first and basically I don’t know.

After writing this, I had about a fourth of the page left to write on and I thought what better time to state my TRUE feelings about the synoptic problem? I wrote how I felt that we, as Christians, are wasting our time spending all this time and energy studying and worrying about who wrote what gospel first. I wrote that we should be learning about what is in the books and how to apply it to our own lives and impact others lives with our application.
All I could think about while I was writing this was an article I read recently in a magazine I picked up at a church I was at. The magazine is Today's Pentecostal Evangel, and the article was titled: Tragedy Ignored. The article talked about the civil war going on in the Congo and how millions of people are dying.
So as I am sitting there all I can think about was how many of these people that are dying everyday, are saved? and how many could I help? I was sitting there writing about who wrote what when, and people, not just in Africa, but all over the world and even here at SC are not even saved! Haven’t even been exposed to the idea of salvation in a life changing way! I finished writing my thoughts on the paper, finished the test and left the class.
The next day I received a note from my professor asking me to meet with him. We set up a time, and this afternoon at 2:30 we met to discuss my opinions. I told him that i didn't see the point in all of this when we could be doing so much good in the time we are sitting there learning these things that will have little to no effect on my life after the class. He told me that if I didn't study the synoptic problem that I wouldn't be credible in anyway once I got out into the world, because, even if I know what is in the book and how to apply it to people lives, if I don’t know who wrote the gospels and when they wrote them I wouldn’t be able to get my point across. After a brief conversation he called my cynical for questioning him and that was the end of our discussion on that topic.

OK, to be honest, I don't know if this is a rant about a professor that Doesn’t know how to teach or effectively communicate to his students, or if this is about how Christians get so caught up in scholarly goals and achievements and publishing books and being known in the Christian community that they forget that all of this is pointless if you don't apply what you learn to doing some good and furthering the Kingdom of God here on Earth.
It is safe to say that this blog was inspired by this professor who infuriates me more than any other teacher or professor I have ever had. But i hope I am also getting my point across ( it is hard to focus when I am so red with anger!) that is, Christians need to take their heads out of the books once in a while and try to actually put into practice the teaching of the book that have been studying for so long. I never want to become like all of the Christians who study their lives away and don't make any kind of impact outside of the classroom. I believe that a basic understanding and a child like faith are FAR supirior to year and years of books and papers and questions and answers. I am worried about going to heaven, I am not worried about who first wrote down the word heaven on paper.

P.S.
I am not proud of this blog, the writing is terrible and I am letting my emotions control what I write, making it hard for me to convey my thoughts clearly. However I am putting it on here because i care about your feedback and I am interested in what ya'll have to say

P.P.S.
On the next mission trip I go on, if anyone I meet there asks me who wrote first, Matthew, Mark, or Luke. I will publish an apology, as well as get on my knees and wash the feet of this professor.