May 20 , 2009
“A Lifelong Learner ”
Dear Friend,
I read recently that when Theodore Roosevelt made his dangerous trek into the Amazon in 1913, he took with him and read the six volumes of Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. What would possess a man to lug these heavy, hard-backed books into the sweltering jungle and sit every evening around a campfire with a mosquito net over his head reading such ponderous work?
The answer is: Roosevelt was a lifelong learner. He understood the value that continuous learning could add to his life. This understanding was expressed in the discipline to read and learn—even under the most challenging circumstances.
I believe if a man like Roosevelt could organize his days to include learning, all of us—with the almost numberless learning programs available—can find time to be lifelong learners. Let me suggest three learning approaches you might include somewhere in your busy schedule:
- A Daily Reading Time – You might schedule a half hour somewhere in your day to read a challenging book.
- A Daily Listening Time – Many excellent books are available on cassettes and CDs. I have even purchased university lectures in CD and DVD formats.
- A Daily Journaling Time – We learn by meditation or thinking about new ideas. Often I find it helpful to journal as I think through challenging concepts.
The Psalmist sets an excellent example when he prays in Psalm 119:3, Teach me, O Lord. Being a lifelong learner is more than an intellectual quality. It’s a necessity for spiritual maturity. I pray for Christ to bless you in your noble quest for the treasure of knowledge.
Doc
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Christ Church
