Book-Learnin’ Isn’t Enough….Is it?
Don’t get me wrong. Much of what I know about math-teaching, English-teaching, and Bible-teaching, I learned from books and The Book, as well as, from other teachers. However, what I have learned about the lasting nature of relationships with God and others may have been initially recognized from something I heard or read, but those truths were fleshed-out by experiences with God and with other people.
Let me illustrate. I learned about forgiveness and the love of God as concepts from Sunday School, Bible reading, and church participation, for which I am grateful; but when I came to faith in Jesus, it was personal and it has been ever since. Oh, I have learned much knowledge from scripture, but I have learned application and relationship intimacy through my dealings with people and God’s Holy Spirit. I have had (and still do have) mentors and friends and mentor/friends. Carol, my wife, has been the one from whom I have learned the most. We have had occasion to practice what we had heard and thought we knew …at first. The experience took the learning deeper.
Practice has not “made perfect” nor has “practice made permanent”. We have learned so much from each other, and the more I appreciated what she was teaching me without lecturing, the greater the benefit to me. When I stopped trying to make her practice what I had “learned” and started trying to apply the truths to my actions and reactions, the greater I was blessed. God promised to conform each Christ-follower to the image of His Son Jesus. He meant it. He is doing just that, and much of the time He uses those closest to us to do it or to show us where we need to change.
I read Ephesians 5:25 – “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and give yourself for her” many, many times and could quote it, but I didn’t know how to do it to the extent I do today. I read marriage books, articles, and workbooks, but it took a “rude awakening” before I wanted to learn what it meant and how to practice it. I am so glad God did not quit working His truth into me. He still does.
Today, one of my grandchildren (2 years old) was “reading to me” from a book with big numbers on the pages. She already recognizes some numbers, and I was impressed. But she repeated all the numbers when I told her what they were and when she heard her big brother (who is 4) say the numbers out loud. The book was helpful but her repeating what she heard helped her to be accurate and say the correct name for the number. That is what mentoring is. Someone comes close to you and illustrates in word and deed what is a better way to live or how to be a growing, maturing believer. It is so important who we trust to tell and show us the truth. We could have lied about the numbers and taught her the wrong way. Love won’t allow it!
The couple pictured at the top are friends of ours from 1999. We love them and they love us. We have learned from each other, encouraged each other, laughed and cried together. We are mentor-friends to each other. They are not just acquaintances. They are friends. We trust each other too. God has blessed us with this and other couples who are mentor-friends.
I pray you have folks in your life who are encouragers, truth-tellers, and friends with whom you are doing life regularly. When we get back with these and other friends, who may live close or be 100’s of miles from us, we pick up where we left off as if we’d never been apart.
I am “reading” on Audible a book called “Imagine Heaven” by John Burke. Those family and friends we love here on earth show but a glimpse of the love we’ll know and share in eternity, but why wait until then. Let’s love and be loved now. We love because He loved us first. (1 John 4:19) Let’s be professional lovers.