Higher Grades with God

I was fortunate to be born in a family with brothers and sisters excelling in their studies. It made me proud that their names frequently appeared in the honour roll; but then I carried a heavy burden of coping with their scholastic performances, as I was admittedly a mediocre student, struggling to pass my subjects.

My mother, Milagros, aware of my predicament bought ‘wonder’ vitamins that promised to boost one’s brain power; but then these did not raise my grades. When I learned that peanuts helped in developing the mind, I often bought from the sidewalk vendor just outside the campus. It did produce results: pimples all over my face that left scars for the rest of my life.

Thus, I have come to wonder how I was able to pass two of the hardest professional licensure examinations in the Philippines – the Certified Public Accountant Board Examinations and the Bar Examinations. Studying hard was a factor; but most importantly, it was faith in God that carried me through. And there is scientific proof of the latter factor.

In an article written by Robert Roy Britt of LiveScience.com, it says: "Researchers found that church attendance has as much effect on a teen's Grade Point Average as whether the parents earned a college degree. Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools. On average, students whose parents received a four-year college degree average a GPA .12 higher than those whose parents completed high school only. ‘Students attending religious services weekly average a GPA .144 higher than those who never attend services’, said Jennifer Glanville, a sociologist at the University of Iowa."
The article further states: "The study does not suggest God is smiling on the students, per se. Rather, it identifies several reasons the students do better:
They have regular contact with adults from various generations who serve as role models.
Their parents are more likely to communicate with their friends' parents.
They develop friendships with peers who have similar norms and values.
They're more likely to participate in extracurricular activities.
Education is the vehicle for knowledge and understanding. The ability to use knowledge and understanding to solve a problem or situation requires wisdom. It is therefore important to develop wisdom. "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7) An individual can have all the data and information similar to a computer storing such in its memory. But then a computer cannot have wisdom. How then can a person attain wisdom? It is written: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."(James 1:5) This is reiterated in this manner: "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." (Proverbs 2:7)

For one (young or old, man or woman, professional, worker or student) who gains wisdom, there is no problem too difficult to solve. For the wise has God as teacher and mentor. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding." (Proverbs 3:13) And if man finds joy, God is smiling.

by Mel Libre