I recall vividly the struggle I had as a school boy when first I was given the multiplication tables to learn; and I’m sure the teacher was no less frustrated than I was ‘ But as I began using and applying the tables, at first awkwardly and crudely, they began to fall into place as I gained increasing skill in their use. All our lives, whenever we set out to learn, we must find that most of that learning is achieved by actual doing.
Yet we always seem surprised to find that we must learn spiritual lessons in the same way. We learn to worship God by joining others in praising Him. We learn what spiritual gifts God has given us by actually exercising them. We learn to believe and trust in Him more fully by having to use the faith and the trust we already have, and then building upon it. We achieve more and more godliness by developing the Christian graces already in our lives, weak and small as they may be. We learn self-control by more and more saying no to the evils around us. Humility is the first and last thing most of us need to learn, and we learn it by being knocked by life from one humbling experience to another.
Maybe you have been missing some of the lessons you need to learn because you haven’t recognized the needed procedures. Do you want to achieve godliness? Speak well of the person who has smeared your reputation. Do you want to learn patience? Exercise it on the next bore who afflicts you. Do you want to learn self-control? Say no to second-helpings at the next family gathering. Do you want to learn gratitude? Look at the less fortunate around you and give thanks. Do you want to learn diligence? Enthusiastically perform the tasks that are before you, menial though they be. Finally, do you want to learn to love? Indeed, you must learn love if you are to learn God’s lessons at all, since this art is central to being a useful, growing Christian. The only way to learn it is to love again and again and again!
We learn God’s lessons by actually doing.
November/December 1984
