As I started this blog I thought, “This is a lot about me.” But, as I look at what I am writing about, many of you should be able to relate to it. Serving God is a constant learning experience. It takes a spirit that is willing to learn how to walk closer to Him everyday and to trust Him more everyday.
“5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6
Learning
As a baby you first learn to crawl. Then, you learn how to walk and later run. As you get older, you start learning to recognize letters and finally words so you can read. Eventually, you learn math, history, science and more — all the way up until you graduate.
As a young adult, you may go into the military or to college. Alternatively, you might choose to go straight into the work force.
The fact remains, however: you never stop learning.
When I was younger, one of the first things I learned was to fish and to hunt. My parents taught us how to trap. These skills taught us patience. I can remember sitting for hours in the woods and waiting for a deer to walk by. I would look around and watch as squirrels would scurry all around me. They must have figured that it wasn’t the season for them!
Or, I would sit by the river bank and wait for that big catfish to hit and then take it home so mom could fix it for supper. That was all part of the learning experience of being in a large family.
Family Man
At one point, after I set out on my own, I learned what it meant to be a family man. I found the girl of my dreams and learned that patience was part of dating. Pam worked at Super X in Kenton, and I had to wait for her to get off work.
Once, I was a few minutes late dropping her off. Then, I had to wait for her to get ungrounded!
Next, the day came and we were married and I had to learn how to be a good husband to my wife. My dad was from old Kentucky and we were taught at home that “Dads rule is law!” Mom had nothing to add once dad made up his mind.
I had to “unlearn” this because for Pam and me it was a partnership. I learned very quickly not to fight in our marriage because in the past I watched too many people say things that they regretted later. But honestly, I was still learning for a few years after we were married.
Then, a son would came along, and wow, you talk about a learning curve! I had to learn to be a good father. That was a time, and continual learning experience because Jer wanted to know everything. I had to learn how to bathe him and change his diaper (yes, dads change diapers!). Plus, I had to learn all about this little person that took over the house. Now I had a wife and a son and they were the center of my world.
Jesus
Then, something I never expected: my wife, son and I got saved. This was a new learning experience too! I had to learn to walk for God. Really, this has been a constant learning experience. But something else happened: I started writing songs for the Lord and at the age of 30 I learned how to play the guitar.
This change was something that would affect my very soul. Where my wife and son are the center of my world, God is the center of my universe.
Continual Learning
But the learning experience did not stop there. For now there was a daughter in-law added and two wonderful grandchildren. When our daughter in-law (our “little girl”) came along, I Learned that she is very special. I had never experienced raising a girl so this was a new experience. The way she talked with her dad was different from how Jeremiah and I talked. Let me just say she has been a blessing.
Then a grandchild, a little boy, then a second grandchild, a little girl. My thoughts and prayers at that time were, “Please let me be a good grandpa!” So, now I had to learn how to be a grandpa. and I’m still learning, because grandchildren are completely different from children. What our son would not get away with they do (sometimes).
Now I’m a pastor and even this is a continual learning experience: Listening for God to tell me what to preach, being sensitive to what the church needs, reminding myself that it’s not about me.
“26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” — Matthew 20:26-28
Pastoring
I truly believe that anyone who is called to pastor should minister to those whom God has placed in their care first. This is a very solemn obligation we take on in life: to help other find their way to God. But then, the learning does not stop there, for now you must learn how to help them walk their lives in accordance with God until they make Heaven their home.
So you might be inclined to ask, “When will you stop learning?” I believe the day I stop learning is the day I see Jesus face to face.