Live And Learn

“If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.” – Proverbs 19:27.

 As with most things in life, we never stop learning. The indication of that is we find ourselves asking questions like, “What does the Bible say about . . . ?” or “How may I . . . ?”  You will never have all the answers so you will never stop learning. 

When people think about “learning” they often default to where they went to college. They also often believe that their education is complete once they graduate from college or graduate school. But education does not end in the classroom. Education is a continuous, life long process. Outside the school’s walls, there are countless learning opportunities from work, friends, circumstances and the  environment. Peter Drucker, the management expert, said that “an educated person is someone who has learned how to learn and never stops learning.” 

Mark 4:21 tells us, “ Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.” This makes perfect sense. The purpose of light is to be seen and to make sight possible. To hide a lamp would be counter intuitive and counterproductive. It would fail to accomplish its primary purpose.  In the next verse Jesus says, “For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.”

Jesus’ next saying is “Everything that is now hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light” (4:22). The hidden things will be revealed, but only to those who take the trouble to listen and seek to learn.

We are asked to “understand the secret of the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 4:11). Jesus was telling his disciples that, in his own coming into the world, there was still much more to be revealed. The disciples, and each of us today, must constantly be open to new discoveries of His plans and purposes. In other words, we must not stop learning.

Jesus promised, ”To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” (Mark 4:25). In other words, those who listen to what Jesus tells them receive even more insight into God’s eternal purposes. God has no intention of leaving the message of the kingdom hidden. He puts it out in the open where Christian disciples never stop learning. 

As followers of Jesus we must become someone who has learned how to learn and never stops learning. But this isn’t just feel good words. 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree that we never stop learning? Why or why not?
2. What can we do this week to learn more about who God is and what He expects from us?