I heard a person who buys and sells antiques for a living say, “You are always paying for your education.” He meant you can pay someone to teach you, take a class, or buy a book to learn more. The other option is to make mistakes and learn the hard way.

In his profession, once you overpay for an item and lose money, you will not forget it. Hopefully, you will learn your lesson and not repeat the same mistake again. He hates that he lost money, but he learned a valuable lesson in the process. 

Either way, he is paying for his education. 

Honestly, that is true for all of us. Unfortunately, often, we do not pay with cash or credit; we pay in other ways.

God has instructed us how to live, and we can learn from his word through study, prayer, community, and time invested in discipleship. The other option is understanding his will is best for us through pain, suffering, and heartbreak. We can learn through guilt, remorse, and shame. We can learn through embarrassment, public humiliation, and scandal.    

There are two options: invest time and energy into becoming the person God desires or learn the hard lessons of disobedience. 

Either way, a good education will cost you.