Remembering the Why
At Adoration on Wednesday, Jesus led me to reflect on teaching. Our Lord taught. He was known as a teacher, called Teacher by his followers - even Good Teacher by some. Yet, often, they missed the lesson. He taught in parables, but - why? That was the question the Lord was inviting me to explore Wednesday evening.
Why did He teach?
He could have revealed Himself in an number of ways. He could only have used signs and miracles; opened our eyes to actually see Him; downloaded all information about Him into our minds…even never created us to have free will in the first place, so that we’d never need him.
…and that’s why He taught.
He taught so that we could choose. He taught so that we could be partakers - full partners in this Good News, in our salvation. He taught so that we have a say, a voice, ownernship and responsibility.
Responsibility is another word I’ve been meditating on. Response; the ability to respond.
Teaching is the presentation of an idea, a lesson, a theory, an approach - with an invitation to the student to respond: to consider, ask, ponder, meditate on why this presented idea, theory, approach may or may not work. It requires the listener to engage and respond: not simply consume.
To learn is to rewire the neurons in your brain. Rewiring is active not passive. It requires considering, asking, doing, reflecting, testing, trying again. It is not passive. It is NOT consumption.
Consuming content is passive; it is NOT learning. If I watch a video on how to do a yoga pose, but I don’t do it…I didn’t learn the pose! I consumed information: passive. I did not learn. The information may be filed away in my brain somewhere (to haunt me in my dreams when my brain defrags) - but it’s not learned because it hasn’t been acted upon.
Maybe the yoga example seems obvious - so let’s take it to the classroom. If I sit in a classroom with my laptop open, working on my homework due in the next class while listening to this one: this is passive presence. This is not learning. This is ‘content consumption’ paired with task switching. Your brain is working twice as hard to do both and the information you’re working on is getting linked neurologically with content from the current class — making it harder for you to recall one without the other.
This is neuroscience. This is why certain parts of my lawn or I-80 trigger specific book chapters I was listening to while mowing or driving.
Learning requires us to be changed. To learn, we must allow ourselves to be changed. This too is active - and it requires not only our mind, but our heart.
Do I want to be changed? Do I think I need to be changed or do I already possess all I need within myself?
If I know all things, I have no need of a teacher; no need for a lesson.
To learn, one must embrace humility; the attitude that I can learn from others, from any circumstance; that I do not, in fact, possess all knowledge within myself. This admission requires courage.
Your ego wants you to be the best without working for it.
Your ego thinks no one knows better than you do.
Your ego is your glory — and it will be your undoing. Your ego is a liar; your undoing is necessary, though, for it allows you to be built into your true self. Your true self is one who is teachable, accountable, responsible. One who cares for others and relies upon them; who knows they were put into this world to help others and do good: who is ready to achieve their purpose. One who is meek, humble and forgiving.
Dear Jesus, thank you for the lesson this week. Make me meek, humble and forgiving. Rebuild the foundation into one that will stand for eternity and not be consumed like chaff. Thank you for your faithfulness to lead, teach and refine me through trial…for your continued care to make me in Your image…to love me enough to teach, refine and shape…and not leave me to my own ways, but lead me in Yours.
You alone are God and You alone are worthy. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You lead me beside still waters; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. You prepare a table before me in the midst of your enemies. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
She who finds God lacks no good thing.
To you alone be the glory.
