Back to School 
Pause
“There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born till the moment you die, is a process of learning.”
Jiddu Krishnamurti
I just read about a 90-year-old Kenyan woman who is proof that education has no age limit. Priscilla, a midwife, is going to primary school for the first time so she can learn to read and write. Because she grew up in an occupied country and lived through Kenya’s struggle for independence, she never received an education. She wears a school uniform and sits on the front row of her class. Priscilla says, “Education is your wealth.”
Listen
Remind them of these things and warn them in the sight of God not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them.
2 Timothy 2:14
Think
In this day of social media when we can read every comment on every article, it is pretty obvious that most people have never read this verse. Many of the words written in response to someone’s opinion, political views, or religion are destructive. And destructive words breed more destructive words.
I try to avoid them, but occasionally I get sucked into a comment thread. One of the things I notice is that people do not appear to be willing to listen and learn from those with whom they disagree. They just want to call them names. But Paul warns Timothy, “in the sight of God” (must be serious!!), NOT to engage in battles over words. One way we do this is to be listeners and learners rather than claiming, “I am right and you are wrong.” We should listen to each other and learn from each other. We don’t need to compromise our beliefs, but we do need to be respectful listeners and learners.
Ann Whitfield Carter
Pray
God, as I interact with my friends and acquaintances, help me listen with respect, help me be humble enough to realize that I don’t know everything, and that I can learn from the people around me. Help my responses to be kind. May the words I choose serve to make my world a better place. Amen.
Go
Go out into your day to be a learner
Open your eyes and your ears
Open your mind and your heart
Open your hands
To God’s amazing world
To God’s amazing people
Be surprised by what you discover
And never stop learning
