I have a confession. I love to learn. Even though I am retired from being paid to work for someone; I am still learning and seeking the best ways to do life here.  Learning becomes joy with excitement to learn more if the teacher is a learner, too.  I pray that my former students from public schools and from ministry education knew that I was a learner who enjoyed learning.  It isn’t so much the gain of knowledge but the joy of gaining knowledge. We all know we learn differently at all stages and ages of life but all are God’s masterpieces of His heart for teaching and learning.

“You haven’t taught until your students have learned.” The college classroom went silent for a moment.  This profound sentence said in the early years of my training to become a teacher stuck with me all my life.  I still remember the professor saying it and the future teachers in the room thinking, “Wow, it’s all on me, then.”  After much discussion, we learned it isn’t all on us and we should seek others to bring into our classrooms to reach those who needed more.  We also asked our teacher; how will we know when they have learned?

Later, this became easier for me to understand as I began to watch my own students teach others what they knew with enthusiasm!  It was apparent at that point I knew they had internalized the information given to them.  This Joy became the secret to learning with excitement to know more! It is this joy of learning that caused their desire to pass on what they knew to those who didn’t quite yet understand the lesson.  This became the joy of my heart as a teacher.  It was more important to me to teach the joy of learning in the process of teaching and learning for life. Why? Because my heart’s desire was for them to be life-long learners who enjoy finding out something new each day!

Later, in ministry work, I became very aware that true learners of real joy walk humbly with God, learn from and rely on the Master Teacher, Jesus for redemption and His lessons of relationships with God and others, along with the guidance of the truth lessons taught by God’s Holy Spirit.  These learners become leaders as they obtain a growing wisdom that is sorely needed today in leadership on all levels.  I also learned that effective leaders joyfully without judgement or pride pass on what God has given to them. Yes, the “rubber meets the road” so to speak, when leaders are learners who pass on what God has so graciously given to them—so others will know God and do the same. 

Great examples—

Apostle Paul, mentoring younger Timothy; “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

Jesus, the Master Teacher from whom Paul learned; “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”—Jesus, Matthew 28:18-20

And now the Psalmist who has taught us the joy of learning all the lessons God has given to all who believe—for our good and His glory!  God gives us wisdom so others will know Him, too.

Psalm 119:97-104, The Message

מ Mem

Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed;
    I reverently ponder it all the day long.
Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;
    they never become obsolete.
I’ve even become smarter than my teachers
    since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel.
I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages
    simply by doing what you tell me.
I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil
    so I can spend all my time keeping your Word.
I never make detours from the route you laid out;
    you gave me such good directions.
Your words are so choice, so tasty;
    I prefer them to the best home cooking.
With your instruction, I understand life;
    that’s why I hate false propaganda.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Psalmist is a Learner!  He realizes he needs to know what God is saying in order to please Him.  “I become wiser…simply by doing what You say!”  We cannot become wiser if we do not seek God and then do what He says in His Word daily.  This discipline of learning God’s Word is considered a joy and privilege to me for I am not equipped otherwise for living in our confused, dark world without God. If we do not read, study, meditate, and pray over God’s Words to us while asking for His wisdom; how will we know what to do? And what will we be passing on to others?

The Word also teaches us that reading requires being with God and doing what God says in His Word.  The entirety of the Bible was inspired by God to those who wrote down what He said so we will know Him more!  His lessons teach us wisdom (the skills for living daily) in a world desperately in need of His saving grace of redemption and the power of His Holy Spirit to teach learners who believe in Him—The Truth.

Got Truth?  Drink and feast on His Word!

“Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.
With your instruction, I understand life; that’s why I hate false propaganda.”

God loves a cheerful learner who enjoys seeking His heart.

Lord,

Thank you for your Word to us. Thank you for mentors who knew You and Your Word and passed on the joy of learning from you to us. Thank you for bringing back good memories of learning and growing. I have not arrived, I am still learning, so I ask for your wisdom to walk another day on earth with you until I see you face to face in glory. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen