Learners for Life

“Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. 
Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.”
– Proverbs 9:9

School has started for most kids and they are now getting back into the swing of learning and growing in their knowledge of life and academics.  I remember quite a number of first days of school – I was usually the one who was super nervous about starting a new chapter and getting used to new teachers and classmates (well, all except for the years I was homeschooled…my mom didn’t make me nervous :) ).

One of the biggest “first day of school” stories I can recall is the year I started third grade.  We lived in Kentucky and I attended my church’s private school.  It was their custom at that time that on the first day of school they would gather all students and parents in the sanctuary of the church and then bring a teacher up and read off the students that would be in his/her class.  Once your class was called, you went with your parent up to your new classroom.  You wouldn’t know who your teacher was until that moment.  I remember that in third grade I didn’t care which teacher I got – all except for one.  The students who had just finished third grade the year before had said that this one particular teacher was really tough and mean.  I knew I did NOT want her.  We got to the point in the “ceremony” to the third grade class.  One third grade teacher had been called and her class filled and now it was time for the “tough” teacher to get her students.  I prayed my name wouldn’t be called.  Last names were called…and of course, I had to wait until the end to find out if I was in her class (hazard of having a last name with a “y”).  Well, wouldn’t you know it – I ended up in this “dreaded” teacher’s class.  I was devastated.  My mom tells me that as she took me up to my classroom, I was fighting off tears.  What a miserable year third grade was going to be…or so I thought.

As it turned out, my third grade teacher was the most phenomenal teacher I ever had.  What those crazy fourth graders had told us about her was for sure not true and, I suppose, was just to scare us.  This third grade teacher is actually the person who inspired me to one day be a teacher and instill the love of learning and growing in knowledge in others – something I do to this very day.

One thing I have learned in these post-school years is that you never stop learning and growing.  I think that learning as an adult means learning about how to do life and grow in your walk with God.  In this last decade (so over my twenties), I have most definitely done a lot of learning and growing in these two areas.  I’ve learned a lot about myself, about others, about the Bible, about my job(s), and about living life as an adult, among other things.

Proverbs 9 is quite an interesting chapter.  The writer, King Solomon, personifies Wisdom and Folly as individuals and goes on to discuss how these two “individuals” “live their lives.”  I encourage you to read the entire chapter, but I want to focus on two nuggets from it:

Nugget #1: Proverbs 9:9: “Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser.  Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.”  As growing Christians, we should take this straight to our heart.  It is super important that we personally be instructed and taught in how God wants us to live so that we can be wiser and righteous in our lives and walk with the God.  In order for our walk to match our talk (which makes our walk evident to the world), our talk/walk must be learned.  Additionally, we should heed these words and instruct and teach our fellow younger Christian brothers/sisters so that they too can be wiser and righteous.  Instruction/teaching (academic or not) should always be passed from generation to generation so that whatever is being taught is never lost…and this is especially important as it relates to God and His Word.

Nugget #2: Proverbs 9:11-12: “Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.  If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.”  Who doesn’t want to have a long and fulfilling life?  These verses tell us that having wisdom will be a benefit to us and add years and days to our life!  How great is that?!  These verses also give a warning of what will happen if we reject or ignore wisdom – we will suffer for it.  Ignoring wisdom is very dangerous because it’s putting you in a place where temptations may (and probably will) abound.  So how will we suffer for our ignorance?  I would tend to say that it depends on situation, but whatever it is, suffering doesn’t sound good. 

From one teacher to another (or even to those of you who are mainly “students”), make special note of this: make absolutely sure that whatever wisdom you are imparting or learning is that which is biblical.  A lot of things can sound really good to the ear, but when the rubber meets the road – it doesn’t always line up with Scripture.  Look what Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:3 – “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.”  Sometimes this is completely an accident, but there are sometimes where this is intentional (think prosperity preachers and the like). Part of you being the student (and we are all students of God’s Word) is to do your homework and take what you’ve been taught/what you're going to teach and check the source (the Word), because it’s author is inerrant and our ultimate Teacher.

There are many things I’m so grateful to have learned – these things have made me a more informed and knowledgeable person who is able to live and communicate with others in society.  Conversely, there are things I wish I didn’t have to learn – like about hurt and grief and loss.  All of these things combine, however, to shape and grow us into the people God wants us to be.  When we gain wisdom from what we are taught, we are then able to handle future experiences/challenges and help others down the road who may be going through similar situations.  I’m thankful, and I don't take it lightly, that I am able to do that as a teacher in ministry with children from all walks of life (a passion passed on to me from my amazing third grade teacher) because I am passing the wisdom of God onto the future generations so that they in turn can do the same.

Learning isn’t over when we walk across the stage with a cap and gown and diploma in hand. The reality is actually that we will be learners for life.

Prepare to be a learner for life!