Normal
0
false
false
false
MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
In any given situation we learn by one of two methods –
- We learn from our own experiences, from the consequences of our actions or
- We learn from the experiences of others, from their life’s lessons
The author of Divine Mentor, Wayne Cordeiro, classifies these two options as learning from consequences or learning from wisdom. He states, that we need to learn from the experiences of others (wisdom) as we don’t have enough time to learn everything by hard knocks – done our own way.
We can learn from the experiences of others from the stories they tell, or the instructions they give. God Himself wants us to learn from wisdom as he gave us his Word for our instruction and correction (2 Tim3:16). The Bible is full of story after story where one man, and then the next, learnt to walk with God. To learn from these accounts is wisdom.
It is easy to settle for the generally understood and accepted idea that some kids just need to learn it the hard way – they need the consequences but if God tells us to learn from those who have gone on before us, to learn from wisdoms way then we need to help those kids learn from the experiences of others.
Our kids need to know how to learn from wisdom, how to learn from the experiences and instructions of others.
- When they read the Scriptures can they see the wisdom to be learnt from the people who lived and walked with God many years ago and apply it to their own lives?
- When they read a biography or a living book, do they draw life’s lessons and apply it to their own lives?
- When they talk to an older person, do they see the opportunity to glean from their experiences and to not make the same mistakes themselves?
- When they watch a movie, do they see the character based choices and the consequences of those choices, can they connect that to their own lives and the choices they have to make?
Learning from wisdom then becomes much like any other study technique we teach our children – and yet far more powerful. We must model it, we must make them to be aware of the opportunity, and we must teach them the thinking skills so that they can approach a book or an older person with the intention of learning from these people’s experiences.
