I am a retired math teacher, and I remember one class when I was trying to explain an especially complicated and involved topic. It was one of those math topics where you don’t understand anything until you understand everything. These kinds of topics can be frustrating to both students and teachers, but also rewarding to both. Sometimes you can see flashes of understanding randomly pop up in a class just like camera flashes at a press conference. I had carefully prepared the explanation trying to make a difficult, but important, topic as clear as possible. I had gone on for some time, when a student raised his hand. I was happy, for questions usually indicated the beginning of understanding. I was a little chagrined, however, when the student with a slight smile on his face asked, “Will this be on the test?” All of us in the class laughed.

That evening I told the story to my wife Paulette, and we both had a good laugh. Unfortunately, I’ve given her new ammunition in the marriage wars. Sometimes when we’re discussing something complicated, like map directions for a coming trip, a plumbing repair, or a financial matter, I apparently accidently fall into professor mode. She will respond with, “Will this be on the test?” It usually brings a chuckle to us both.

The twelve disciples were all Jews schooled in the Old Testament Law, and to them the revolutionary message of Jesus was perplexing, confusing, and difficult to understand. Jesus even chided them about their lack of understanding (e.g. Matthew 16:9-11). Although they weren’t in a classroom setting, I’m sure there were times when they asked questions equivalent to “Will this be on the test?” We shouldn’t laugh too much at the disciples, though, for there are lots of times in our spiritual lives that we struggle to understand and wonder, “Will this be on the test.”

Here’s the rest of my classroom story. After short bit of laughter, I gave a little homily. I said that the test really wasn’t the point; tests, especially the hourly ones, were part of the learning process. The real value came from the material and trying to understand it. The subject matter was intrinsically important, but it also led to other material in the course and hopefully could prove useful in the students’ majors or careers. I then said that the struggle to comprehend was just as important; it strengthened their learning skills in a manner analogous to the way an athlete is helped from the strength gained in the weight room. I think both hold true for us in our Christian lives. We shouldn’t concentrate on the test at the end, but rather accept God’s freely given grace and let it help us to live a life that reflects God’s unconditional love for YOU and me.

Jim