I believe there are two types of learners. There are those who sit on a couch, at a desk, in a classroom, or on a campus, and wait for some new knowledge or revolutionary idea to come sit next to them and tell them about herself. Then there are those who go find knowledge and ideas, yank them out of bed and badger them until they understand and can apply that knowledge in a beneficial way.
I think that in one form or another we all fall into one of these two stereotypes. Now, I realize they are stereotypes and no stereotypes are 100% true, but allow me to take a bit of liberty here. I think that this generalization, if applied to everyone, would show a distinct difference between people, both current and historic, who are making a difference and who are not. If there is one thing that everyone who has ever done anything great has in common it is a lack of apathy when it comes to bettering themselves. They all have a "go out and get it" attitude instead of "wait till it gets here" one.
It is very easy nowadays to think of education as someone else's responsibility. It is either our teacher, or pastor, or mentor, or boss's job to make sure we are learning. That is simply not true. It is their job to make sure that there are constantly things that you can access easily to learn. The onus for education is primarily on the learner. This does not mean that teachers have no responsibility. It is their job to teach things in ways that facilitate learning and lend themselves to the context of the learner, but it is not their job to make that knowledge make a difference, and it is impossible for them to do so.
If we truly take seriously the call on each of our lives to become the best that we can be so that we can serve Christ the best that we can we must ask ourselves a few important questions.
What am I doing right now to become all that I can be?
Am I seeking knowledge or waiting for it?
Who am I seeking out to learn from?
Who is my accountability?
What difference is the knowledge I have making on myself and those under my influence?
I think that in one form or another we all fall into one of these two stereotypes. Now, I realize they are stereotypes and no stereotypes are 100% true, but allow me to take a bit of liberty here. I think that this generalization, if applied to everyone, would show a distinct difference between people, both current and historic, who are making a difference and who are not. If there is one thing that everyone who has ever done anything great has in common it is a lack of apathy when it comes to bettering themselves. They all have a "go out and get it" attitude instead of "wait till it gets here" one.
It is very easy nowadays to think of education as someone else's responsibility. It is either our teacher, or pastor, or mentor, or boss's job to make sure we are learning. That is simply not true. It is their job to make sure that there are constantly things that you can access easily to learn. The onus for education is primarily on the learner. This does not mean that teachers have no responsibility. It is their job to teach things in ways that facilitate learning and lend themselves to the context of the learner, but it is not their job to make that knowledge make a difference, and it is impossible for them to do so.
If we truly take seriously the call on each of our lives to become the best that we can be so that we can serve Christ the best that we can we must ask ourselves a few important questions.
What am I doing right now to become all that I can be?
Am I seeking knowledge or waiting for it?
Who am I seeking out to learn from?
Who is my accountability?
What difference is the knowledge I have making on myself and those under my influence?
