Casandra Martin

“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn. “ – Benjamin Franklin

It is the beginning of a new school year. School buses are rolling, lunches are packed, new backpacks are filled with supplies, and children are heading into classrooms ready to begin a new year of learning and exploration. It is an exciting time, a bittersweet time, and a time to reflect and renew our commitment to be learners.

Learning doesn’t just happen when you are a kid sitting in a classroom. Learning is a lifelong privilege. God intends for all of His children to be learners. He wants our eyes to be open, our hearts to be ready, and our minds to be quick to absorb the truths that He plants in our way. A willingness to learn is a wonderful characteristic of a mature follower of Christ. God’s lessons are everywhere – in His Word, His creation, and His people. Our job is to have eyes and hearts opened big enough to learn.

God’s teachers are everywhere as well. He uses children, strangers, co-workers, family, teenagers, friends, and even enemies to teach us lessons about how to be more like Jesus. Sometimes I don’t recognize a lesson or a teacher until the opportunity passes. Sometimes I am just too proud to learn what I so desperately need to know.

My Jesus Resolution today is to learn. I like what Benjamin Franklin had to say about learning. Not knowing the answer really isn’t a big deal. Being unwilling to search out and learn the answer is a much bigger problem. Having a teachable heart is essential for a soul that longs to look like Jesus. Remember to look for your lessons, pay attention to your teachers, and to learn something today.