I renew this post at a later time, and writing in retrospect, I consider that graduating from Colorado Christian University was the most challenging dream I have ever carried out! Remembering the immense amount of work, week after week, it is a blessing to remember a simple fun memory like this one:
My final semester at CCU, I took “Worldviews,” which covered the philosophical core of atheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Near the end of the semester, we were discussing Judaism, and the professor asked the class, “Who can recite the Shema?” I immediately blurted out, “I can!”
In my four and a half years at CCU, I spoke out in my classes often! Since I was studying at CCU with the hope that good grades and graduation would give me the credentials to teach the Bible in the future, I wanted to fully participate in all of my classes. Yet as my time went on at CCU, professors knew I was committed to my studies, and I did not need to go overboard to impress them.
Yet an even greater reason for me speaking out much was due to my passion for the Bible. Because of my passion, I was naturally engaged in all of my classes. And being an interactive learner, I learn far more when I actively participate in the learning process. So it was natural for me to interact in discussions with professors.
However, being an older student, I gradually abstained from giving numerous answers in any given class in order to give younger students a chance to answer questions. I wanted them to interact also!
Thus, after my sudden response to the Shema question, I quickly thought of the fact that the question was an easy answer some younger student could give. So I then said to Professor Murphy, “Oh, I am always opening my mouth in this class. Someone else can answer the question.”
There was silence in the classroom; utter silence. It was near the end of the semester when students were overloaded with papers and preparations for finals, and apparently some students had not carefully read the long reading assignment for our class that day. Silence continued. Dr. Murphy was looking around the classroom.
The silence was only filled when Bre, the student who sat next to me, spoke: “Hunter, open your mouth.”
I did. If sister Bre tells me to do something, I do it. I have much admiration for Bre.
The Shema is found in Deuteronomy 6:4 – “Hear, O’Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (NIV). The Shema originally was only Deuteronomy 6:4, which was consistently recited by worshipers who are Jewish, though it is often expanded in current day Jewish liturgical worship.
Deuteronomy 6:5 is really a continuation of the purpose of Deuteronomy 6:4. It states: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (NIV). In the Scripture passage of Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus answered the Pharisees by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, and He also added the command found in Leviticus 19:18.
Love God! Love people! These are the core commandments of God.
I give glory to God that because of His work in my heart for years, during my years at CCU I truly did love my fellow CCU students!
Hunter Irvine
Scripture Love Blog
