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Learning From One Another
Take a moment and think about how God designed each of us to learn. From One Another. Intergenerationally. How are you doing in this area? Are you purposefully learning/teaching from those who are older/younger than you?
Stretch with me through this little exercise I gave the young men at SALT Camp in June.
Using the table below, take two minutes for each column. For this exercise only, exclude all physical family, and attempt to write down at least five people who:
Column 1: Are more than 10 years older than you whom you admire, and from whom you would like to learn a trait or skill;
Column 2: Are within 10 years on either side of your age whom you admire, and from whom you would like to learn a trait or skill;
Column 3: …are at least 10 years younger than you whom you respect, and with whom you would like to share a skill or lesson you’ve learned.
10 years older than you | Within 10 years of your age | 10 years younger than you |
1. | 1. | 1. |
2. | 2. | 2. |
3. | 3. | 3. |
4. | 4. | 4. |
5. | 5. | 5. |
Hopefully, you have several written down in each category. That makes me smile. If you are like my family a long time ago and only had one or none, then this ought to be an eye-opener and motivation to begin stretching and connecting with more of God’s people. It was this little exercise that helped push us to join with Oldham Woods (so many years ago!
Reminders from Scripture, from Genesis all the way forward:
Genesis 18:19 “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice…”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
I Thessalonians 2:11 “As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,”
2 Timothy 1:5 “I recall the genuine faithfulness within you, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure it is within you as well.”
Hebrews 12:7 “It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?”
The Holy Spirit is almost constantly reminding us to connect and share, from children learning from parents/grandparents, to spiritual family building each other up in the same ways. And the learning goes both directions. The older generation -needs- the interaction just as much. Our greatest joys come from seeing the next generation do well as we all try our best (as God’s children!) to bring glory to God. As John exults in 3 John 1:4 - I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Do I need to say it…? It’s ALL about relationships!
One of my favorite t-shirts quotes Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
I wish I had a t-shirt that quotes Hebrews 10:24 - “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”
Who are you sharpening? Who is sharpening you?
- learning-from-one-another.pdf (111.42 kB)
