13 Paul warned the Colossian Christians: “Look out: perhaps there may be someone who will carry you off as his prey through the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8) “The philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men” surfaces today in the worldly thinking promoted by many intellectuals. Higher education, with its emphasis on academic study, often produces graduates who have few or no practical skills, leaving them unprepared to deal with the realities of life. By contrast, Jehovah’s servants choose education that helps them to develop the necessary skills so that they can maintain a simple life of service to God. They take to heart the counsel Paul offered Timothy: “To be sure, it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency. So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things.” (1 Tim. 6:6, 8) Rather than acquiring secular degrees and titles after their names, true Christians focus on obtaining “letters of recommendation” by engaging as fully as possible in the field ministry.—Read2 Corinthians 3:1-3.
14 Consider the case of the apostle Paul. He was educated at the feet of the Jewish Law teacher Gamaliel. The education Paul received can be compared with that of a university education today. But how did Paul view this when compared with his privilege of slaving for God and Christ? He wrote: “I . . . consider all things to be loss on account of the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” Then he added: “On account of him I have taken the loss of all things and I consider them as a lot of refuse, that I may gain Christ.” (Phil. 3:8) That assessment helps young Christians and their God-fearing parents to make a wise choice when it comes to education. (See pictures.)
