A Heart for Learning

1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

I read a report by an expert on education a couple years back, (I don’t remember the author’s name,) who stated a startling conclusion – and it was that the TV show ‘Sesame Street’ had done serious harm to an entire generation of American children. The harm done? According to the author of the report it was that ‘Sesame Street’ had demonstrated to an entire generation that learning must be fun.  

It was this author’s contention that learning – real learning – is almost never fun. And when a child is presented with a hard concept that takes real work to grasp, they will turn away because it is ‘no fun.’ Check out the education statistics in this country and see whether you think the author of the story has a point.

Learning takes diligence, faithfulness, and hard work. It also takes time and investment. Rather than judging the act of learning by how fun it is to learn, perhaps we should judge learning by whether it is a thing worth knowing. If it is worth knowing, it is worth learning about– no matter how much hard work may be involved.

There is no question this type of attitude has infected the church.  We are increasingly finding that the audience must be ‘entertained’ into learning, and a lack of ‘entertainment value’ will cause the sheep to look elsewhere.

We see here Paul advocating for a serious and solemn learning environment, and the preparation of the heart is as much a part of that as anything else.

-  Pastor Bill