Test

Test. One of those four letter words everyone hates. Just the word itself can produce a lot of anxiety and stress for some people, myself being one of them. As a teacher, I definitely see my fair share of tests. I’m actually taking a break from grading right now to write this blog.

Have you ever really thought about how many tests we have to take in our lifetime? It is ridiculous! In school, you have tests in class. That’s pretty normal and expected, but things have changed a LOT. Now, students in high school and even elementary school have to take big scary standardized tests. Right now where I work, we have students taking “practice” tests for the state that don’t even count for anything. Teachers have to give pre-tests before we even teach students anything, and then post-tests to show how much they have learned. (That test is supposed to “test” your teachers. How much sense does that make?) Do you want to go to college? You have to take tests. Do you want to drive? You have to take tests. Do you want to be a beautician? You have to get a license. Even when I worked at a store in the mall, we had tests. Basically, most things you do in life, you have to take some form of a test. Is your head spinning yet? I know mine is.

With all of this going on, I’ve been thinking a lot lately – what happens when we fail those tests? And what is the big idea behind it all?

Most of the time if we fail most types of tests we have the chance to retake it. It may be scary, but it’s not REALLY the end of the world like we usually think it is. I actually had a conversation with a little boy in 3rd grade at Fruth’s the other day who told me he was “scared to death” that he was going to fail the “big OAA” this spring. On a weekly basis I hear at least one student who is nervous about some upcoming test. I have been a nervous wreck lately about how I’ll be scored as a teacher.

What is the point in all of this? Really if you think about it all tests are basically saying, “show me that you know this.” Or, “show me you’re good enough to ________.” I’m going to say something that is probably going to shock you… NONE of those tests in life matter.

I am SO glad that God doesn’t test us like that. We will never have to sit down with pencil and paper or show the Lord that we’re “good enough.” If He did, I would fail all day, every day. We all would. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that we would.

However, there is ONE test in life that really matters: the test of whether or not you’ll believe and accept Christ’s work on the cross in your life. If you “pass” you’ll never die and will be united with Jesus in heaven forever. Pastor Michael talked about that last week, so we all know that heaven is going to be WAY better than anything we can ever imagine!

But, if you “fail” and don’t trust Christ, you’ll never get a chance to try again. There are only two places you can go when you die, and if you fail the Bible warns about the awfulness of hell: eternal punishment, everlasting destruction, eternal fire, second death. (Matt 25:46; 2 Thes 1:9; Jude 1:7; Rev 20:14) Hell is so much worse than we can ever imagine. I pray that all of us at BBYM and beyond will pass, and help others pass with us.

Stephanie

Teen Leader / "Game Gal"