Wednesday, September 7, 2022

“Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost.” (Proverbs 22:6, The Message Bible)

                “School days. Schools Days. Dear old golden rule days. Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic…”

                Bright and shiny faces. Parents posted the annual first-day-of -school pictures of most of our grandchildren on our family Messenger board. Pre-school Naomi claimed she wanted to be a friend. Beckett, still in day care, wanted to follow his two big brothers into their school. It was Declan’s first day in JK. As the old commercial went, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

                Back in the day, I was okay with attending elementary school. But I didn’t enjoy a lot of my high school education. The peer pressure was intense and the requisite curriculum didn’t always hold my interest. Phys Ed periods were full of things I couldn’t do very well, like rope climbing or running a mile. I took three years of Latin, for goodness’ sake.

                It wasn’t until university and seminary that I truly discovered a hunger for learning. A whole new world of topics opened up for me. I took religion courses and philosophy courses, sociology, political science. I thrived and did very well at these levels of “higher learning”.

                Learning helps build character as well as develop one’s mind. We should never stop learning. Keeping our minds open and informed leads to better choices and decisions, helping us to have a better appreciation of others and the world around us.

                When we think we know it all, we probably know very little. A lack of learning leads to superficiality, small mindedness, shallow thinking, e.g. conspiracy theories. When we stop being curious and inquiring we risk becoming stuck in old attitudes, prejudices and thin assumptions.

                “If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.” (Proverbs 19:27, New Living Translation)

                Knowledge is, of course, more than just book learning. Our education comes from many sources and life experiences. It comes from the good examples of other people like parents, grandparents, teachers, etc. We learn from our mistakes. We learn by listening to words of advice and counsel. We learn by trying and doing. We learn from developing our skills, talents and giftedness.

                “Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers? Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?” (Proverbs 5:13, NLT)

                The book of Proverbs is all about gaining wisdom that comes from paying attention to sources of knowledge and thoughtfulness. Much of it seems to address a younger generation – words from an older and perhaps wiser generation:

                A manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair;
                To teach the inexperienced the ropes
                and give our young people a grasp on reality.
                There’s something here also for seasoned men and women,
                still a thing or two for the experienced to learn—
                Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate,
                the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women. (Proverbs 1: 1 -6, The Message Bible)

                So, please keep an open mind. Always have a questing spirit especially for the good. Think about what you do and say and how it affects others. Set a good example. Find meaning in the world around you. Pay attention to what is  truthful, authentic,  trustworthy and enriching.

                “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.” (Psalm 86:11, NLT)

Dale