As we enter the final days of summer, it’s time to make sure both teachers and students are ready for the long haul that is the school year. We all enjoy a good break, but you eventually have to re-enter the real world.

While teachers start preparing to pour into eager young minds, it’s also important for students to start thinking about the things that come with a new year of school, like wonderful friendships, learning amazing things and just as importantly, the structure you need to put in place in order to succeed. 

We also need mental preparation and spiritual fuel. Here are a few motivational Bible verses for students who are going back to school.

LUKE 2:52
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Each new school year means that we are growing older and (hopefully) wiser. Think of it like a staircase: when we complete a school year, we are taking one step up to the next level. Even Jesus was dedicated as a child in learning the ways of the world and honing His knowledge for His ministry to come. If you pay attention to the last part of the verse, you see that Jesus was growing in many ways. Gaining wisdom is far more than simply completing the bare minimum. We know that you don’t earn favor by being average or by mindlessly wandering. Jesus was pushing himself to excel both in spiritual matters and by earthly standards. We should seek to improve in both areas as well.

PROVERBS 2:1-5 
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding- indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

If you are going to be a good student, you must be teachable. Another word that goes hand in hand with this virtue is humility. It is difficult to learn anything useful if you are consumed by pride. Men who feel they know everything and are unwilling to hear from someone else are very difficult to teach. Instead we must be constantly searching for wisdom and seeking God’s advice. God is the ultimate source for wisdom. Why would you go anywhere else? If we are eager to learn from Him and not solely trust on our own feelings, we stand a much better chance at gaining wisdom.

PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

When you are of school age, the people around you are often talking about inappropriate things, being unkind to others, or engaging in behavior that is not recommended. Sadly this can also be the case for grownups. Instead of doing what is acceptable to the world, we should be doing that which has been called good by our Heavenly Father. Focus on that which meets the criteria found in verse 8, but that’s only part of the command. We are also to replicate these teachings and impact those around us for the gospel.

Inspired by K-LOVE