Lifelong Learning

(Prov 19:20 BBE) Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise.

This morning we continue the book of Proverbs . Here Solomon admonishes us to remain humble and hungry for continued learning. The truth is that none of us were born knowing. We all had to open our minds and our hearts to learn whatever we have learned to get to this point. And if we want to continue to grow and develop we must never close ourselves off to the learning process.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." Lincoln was a strong believer and God was able to use him mightily because he was committed to lifelong learning. If Lincoln had ever gotten to the point where he thought he had arrived - that he thought he knew it all - he would have closed himself off to future insight, wisdom, revelation, knowledge, and understanding. Like Lincoln, God can use you mightily as well if you commit to the process of developmental growth in every area and aspect of your life.

In this series we are walking through one of the books of the Bible that is considered wisdom literature. As we study it we have a golden opportunity to learn and apply what we are learning, so that we can develop into the men and woman God has called us to be. Wouldn't it be a shame to do a verse-by-verse study of the book of Proverbs, only to complete the study with nothing to show for it? Well, that is exactly what can happen if you fail to truly receive what God says in His Word. I know people who attend church Sunday and Sunday and Wednesday after Wednesday with little to show for it, because they go without a true willingness to learn. Like most things, you will get out of the Word whatever you put into it.

The Good News Bible translation of this verse makes it very clear; it reads: "If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise." God wants to give us His counsel. He actually left us 66 books full of it, but we must be willing to read it, learn from it, and apply it, so that we can be transformed by it and see significant results.

Winston Churchill said, "I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." This brings up a good point. I have already pointed out the fact that you will not be open to learn something you think you already know. What Churchill points out is that even if we know we actually DON'T know the material, some of us simply do not like to admit our ignorance. But whether we like it or not, we must be willing to acknowledge our ignorance so that we can address it and grow.

I will make one last point before we close: don't be afraid of making mistakes. You will never hit a home run if you don't swing the bat; but even when you miss, when you actually make a mistake, you can still learn from it and if you do, even a mistake can work out helping you in the long run. Zig Ziglar said it this way: "If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost."

So what does this mean to you? It means that you must make every effort to learn today and every day. Learn as much as you can, from all that you can, while you can. If you do you will develop into the person God has destined, designed, and desired for you to be.

Father, I declare, by faith, that I am committed to lifelong learning. I will learn today, tomorrow, and every day of my life. I walk with You and You walk with me. As we walk together I am continually being discipled and developed into the person You desire for me to be. I am transformed daily into Your image and likeness. I learn from superiors and subordinates alike. I will not allow pride to keep me from acknowledging my ignorance and attacking it, so that I can erase it. And as I grow I will step out in faith to apply what I have learned. I will not allow the fear of making a mistake to keep me from trying. Even if I do make a mistake, I will learn from it and make it a positive experience. By the end of today I will know more than I know right now and I will repeat this process daily! In Jesus' name. Amen!