Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday December 1, 2008

A young pastor friend asked me, "Larry, why are you always reading? And why when you are not reading you seem to be studying a person?" Good questions and the answers are very good if you are less than satisfied with the status of your life.

I have found that I can learn more by reading than by watching an endless series of sitcoms, or becoming an expert of the highest scorer in the NFL or even which TV Chef is currently on top of the pile.

And certainly seriously studying a person's habits, demeanor and attitude will teach me more than observing professional actors who are pretending to be someone else. I would rather study the person they are pretending to be.

Having said the above I want to share a statement that hit me between the eyes and encouraged me to keep on reading and studying people and life in general:

"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live."

Noted author, Mortimer Adler wrote the above and he is right on point, because it is observable that far too many Americans stopped growing when they started shaving or a little before. I think this is one of the great tragedies in modern life. Most of us have heard the old line about the near do well, who went from job to job to job. One day he complained to a wise elderly man, wondering why, with his 20 years of experience he could not get a decent job. The old man said, "Well, Sonny, it could be that you have only 1 year's worth of experience 20 times."

Personal growth is a major contributing factor in learning to more deeply understand and appreciate life. The better we understand people and things, the more we appreciate them. A few years ago I read a piece that posited that a man who says he understands his wife is deluded about other things too. Yet, with a tip toe attitude I state, that a better understanding of the wife of my youth has over the years led to a better and more spiritual appreciation of her, though the vastness of her mystery remains just that, a mystery. We share the old fashioned love that slowly grows and grows. At least that's what she says.

All through the Bible we are admonished to study to show ourselves approved, to enhance our potential through growth, learning that some problems simply have to be outgrown, like an old coat or childish habit. Peter wrote:

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" 1Peter 2:2.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit

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