When I was 12 years old my parents unenrolled me from the only school I had ever known and began the daunting task of full-time homeschooling my brother, sister and me. Neither of my parents had a college education. My mother had been raised in extreme poverty and my dad had been a salesman of some kind his entire adult life. They were not geniuses. They were not well educated. They were not trained in teaching algebra and physics and grammar.
But one thing my parents were––lifetime learners.
As I have thought back to the valuable lessons I learned as a child I realize becoming a lifetime learner was one of them. In preparing for writing, I study. When I need information about a seed I want to plant for my garden, I research. When buying a new appliance, I google and compare and shop around. I am constantly learning.
The same should be true of my spiritual walk. I should always be learning. In the book of Proverbs, chapter 1 (vs 1-6) begins with all the reasons Proverbs was written:
- For learning what wisdom and discipline are
- For learning to understand insightful sayings
- For receiving instruction in right living (righteousness), justice (right and wrong) and integrity (who you are when no one is looking)
- For teaching the inexperienced to be shrewd (perceptive)
- For teaching knowledge and discretion (the quality of having good judgement, able to be cautious, reserved, ability to make good decisions) to the young
- For understanding a proverb or a parable and the words of the wise
All these make for a lifelong learner. The instructions in the book of Proverbs help us to make good choices…from knowing how to deal with our neighbor, to our food choices, to prayer, our faith walk, living within our means, speaking the truth in love, good and bad consequences and the list goes on and on.
My parents would have been overwhelmed by all there is to homeschooling 3 children. But somewhere along the road they learned to be lifetime learners. They studied, they read books and they learned with us when they were not strong-suited for a particular subject. Friend, that’s a lesson for us all. When we don’t know, don’t just give up! Be a student of God’s Word. We see from just six verses in Proverbs that His Word is designed to help us live right, make wise decisions, become discerning and knowledgeable and much more. Proverbs calls us to lifelong learning as a student of God.
Are you in the classroom?
Read Proverbs 1:1-6
The answers are found right here within the pages of God’s Word. Too many times we don’t go to his word because we might not like the answer, we might not think we have the time to “study” or we may think it is too difficult.
Friends, God isn’t trying to hide from us. He says we will find him when we search for him with all of our heart (Jeremiah 29:13). That’s our goal this week. To begin seeking him. When faced with uncertainty or a doubt about what you should do—search his word, pray, ask for counsel––but don’t be lazy, don’t just do the easy thing.
Which area do you lack wisdom? Which area would it help you to know more about God’s plan, his way? Maybe it’s for yourself or maybe you can use the wisdom you learn to pass on to your children and their children.
- For learning what wisdom and discipline are - For learning to understand insightful sayings - For receiving instruction in right living (righteousness), justice (right and wrong) and integrity (who you are when no one is looking) - For teaching the inexperienced to be shrewd (perceptive) - For teaching knowledge and discretion (the quality of having good judgement, able to be cautious, reserved, ability to make good decisions) to the young - For understanding a proverb or a parable and the words of the wise
Prayer: Father help us to go to your word for all the answers we need. Help us rely on your words to help and guide us and thank you for your grace that guides us during difficult times.