Learning Along the Way

I am convinced that life is a perpetual classroom. If one is so inclined, he or she has the opportunity to continually learn from a variety of teachers. The bible indicates that nature itself is a teacher. Animals and insects are used as living lessons in the Word of God.

Often I gain understanding as I listen to others. Whether the information is new or not, the perspective is likely to be. By listening, I discover the other person reveals to me, thus teaching, their own level of understanding and their take on a situation which I may have never seen before. One's training both formally and/or informally usually causes a certain bias concerning one's position and views of life. Seeing through the eyes of others gives us a more rounded view, despite our agreement or not with them. Seeing through many eyes gives a balanced perspective. This is why the bible says, "There is safety in a multitude of counsel."

Experiences of life become wonderful teachers. Experience is and expensive way to learn, but the lessons are not typically forgotten overnight. Once someone told me, "Learn from the mistakes of others b/c you won't live long enough to make them all yourself." There is a lot of truth in that. A smart individual will be honored to sit at the feet of an elderly person who has lived many experiences and is willing to share them.

Antoine de Saint Exupery once said, "A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us." It may be there is a greater person within you than you ever thought. Difficulty and problems can bring your strengths, your fortitude, your widom and ingenuity to the surface. Do not ever assume you know everything about yourself...b/c you don't. Life will help you learn more and more about who you really are. It is likely the person you think yourself to be is not the 'real' person you can become given the right influence and training. Do not sell yourself short.

Maturity is perhaps the ability to lay aside our false-self, with an ever increasing honesty as we learn and project who we really are. To hide from the truth and remain willfully ignorant is to deny the creative genius of our Creator, God. He made you unique and special. Learn more and more about who you really are. Lay aside the pretense...let life become the school wherein you learn more about God and yourself.

Have a wonderful day,

Pastor Tim