Learning: A Lifetime Achievement

READY:  "If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.” -Proverbs 19:27

SET:  A wise man once said, "When you are through learning, you are through!" I don't know who actually said that, but my father used to repeat it to me often. As he would patiently try to teach his sons how to play different sports he would occasionally catch us not paying attention. We’d make simple mistakes that, if we had been listening, would not have been made.

Solomon, the author of Proverbs, was a wise man—perhaps the wisest man of all time. He could've easily thought that he had “arrived” and had gained all the knowledge he needed, but he understood this simple concept: If you don't pay attention, listen and learn, you won't get the knowledge you need to further your understanding in life. We can learn a lesson from Solomon, that learning is not just for students; it is a lifetime process for everyone.

Great men in sports and history such as John Wooden, Tony Dungy and my father, Jim Johnson, understand that listening and learning are daily tasks. You can never stop learning. So what are some practical things you can do to continue getting valuable instruction and knowledge? First, get into God's Word every day. There is not a better book to study in order to gain knowledge. Second, surround yourself with men and women who have "been there" and "done that" in the right ways. They are a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. Third, pray and ask the Lord to point you in the right direction!

Remember the line from my father at the beginning of this devotion? Well, it has come full circle, and my kids are now hearing the same message from me. My prayer is that neither they, nor I, nor YOU ever stop listening and learning.

GO: 
1. Are you done learning and listening? Do you act like you are?
2. In what area of your life could you learn more?
3. Today, how can you start learning more from God's Word?

WORKOUT:
Proverbs 1:5
Proverbs 12:15
Proverbs 19:20
James 1:19-25

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Jere Johnson is a FCA staff member from Chicago area. If you would like to contact Jere, please e-mail him at jerejohnson@fca.org.