The POINT of Learning

Monday, September 7, 2026

Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them.  Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart.  Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it.  Turn my heart to your decrees and not to dishonest profit.  Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.  Confirm what you said to your servant, for it produces reverence for you.  Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, your judgments are good.  How I long for your precepts!  Give me life through your righteousness.  Psalm 119:33-40

But to Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.  Romans 10:21

We start early with learning, sending our 5-year-old children to kindergarten.  In North Carolina there are roughly one and a half million children in the public schools.  With a $19.4 billion-dollar budget, that works out to an investment of more than $12-thousand dollars per year in each student.  If the old maxim of follow the money holds true, we believe in learning.

That statistic makes me cringe when I think of my attitude towards learning when I was in elementary and high school.  I thought getting up every morning before the sun was fully up, getting cleaned-up, fully dressed, and riding in the yellow torture chamber to the brick building, and being forced on threat of having my “permanent record” sullied with red marks, was a form of imprisonment; I was warehoused for seven hours while my parents danced-off to whatever they cared to do in their free time.  It’s odd, isn’t it…how my attitude got a severe corrective when I became a parent, responsible to house, clothe, and find a good school for my little prisoners?

If you re-read that passage in Psalm 119, you might catch the shift in King David’s attitude.  I caught the complete flip when he said he asked to be a good student, obeying God’s ways and commandments; he went so far as to say he takes pleasure in it.  (I wonder if that included the year-end finals?)  This could only have been written by a man who had sinned long enough, and big enough to understand the pain he was heaping up on his life.  If you’ve never taken a trip through David’s sins, let me give you the cliff notes, he did qualify as an adulterer, and co-conspirer to murder his mistress’s husband, and a cover-up that invited Watergate in Jerusalem’s palace.  David was a king with all sorts of power, but he was also a sinner standing in need of forgiveness from Sovereign God, Who, by the way, holds people accountable for their sins and rebellious defiance.

Fast forward a thousand years from David to Apostle Paul who quotes the prophet Isaiah, pointing the long, bony finger at Israel and saying that God says:  All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.  Again, the cliff notes on Paul and Isaiah…they’re pointing out that God is gracious, loving, and forgiving, but Israel was like a petulant school child pouting over having to ride the bus, sit through boring classes, and (gulp!) study for tests. 

Life’s not fair!  But “fair” isn’t the point of learning.  And neither is “learning” the point of learning.  It’s all about learning all about living…and living a life that is worthy of the gift of living.  It’s all about finding the center of God’s good will for our lives and camping out there as He gives us opportunities every day to serve Him, by serving others.  That’s the point!

For You Today

It’s no secret that life is tough, sometimes fiercely-so, and a lot tougher than a ride in the bus, or sitting through the class that never ends.  But there is a God Who loves you and has promised to never leave or forsake you.  He will even be with you when you take the finals!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title and Other Image by    Sabrina Eickhoff from Pixabay

Unless noted, Scripture quotes The Christian Standard Bible^© 

 

 

Taking the Test of Faith

Friday, September 22, 2023

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.  Test yourselves.  Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.  2 Corinthians 13:5

I dislike tests; always have!  Generally my reasons are two-fold:

1.  Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) I just haven’t paid enough attention to preparation.  There’s nothing worse than having your ignorance tested!

2.  Nerves – I hate anxiety, the kind of apprehension that, even though I have prepared, and know the material, my mind will misunderstand the question, or my learning will prove faulty…and I will fail even though I tried.

These two reasons are why I have supreme interest-in, and deep admiration-for, those who constantly put themselves through testing.  To me it would seem masochistic to put myself through the humiliation of a test if it weren’t required. 

On the other hand, it is a healthy practice to measure where you stand when you’re trying to accomplish something.  And this was Paul’s point entirely when he strongly suggested that the believers at Corinth take the examination of faith.  This church had a myriad of disputes, power-struggles and weird practices that the apostle had to deal with.  Their idea of what Christianity looked like was more worldly than Christ-like, and Paul spent much time correcting their mistakes.  He now told them to self-examine for evidence that Christ was indeed among them.

That self-examination sounds an awful lot like what my Mom used to say to me when I left the house – remember who you are!  Paul was reminding Corinthian church folk to remember whose they are – they belonged to Christ, so He should be visible in their actions, daily relationships, and attitudes.

I still don’t like tests, and this testing of my faith in Christ – after more than fifty years of following him seriously – is no exception.  When I take an honest look at the way I serve the Lord, the fail-points of my faith can be a painful experience.

But I do it anyway.  And I’ve learned it’s not masochism – it’s healthy, because when you look back and see how Christ has led you through difficult times, and how you responded in faith here and there, and you see the different way you look at things now than you did five years ago…understanding, like Paul suggested for Corinth, that Jesus really IS among all of it is, as the hymn-writer put it, Jesus leading me all the way^[2].

And if I wouldn’t take that test of faith, just because I’m afraid, or it’s inconvenient, or some other excuse…how would I know where I stand in my discipleship…how would I know if I’m growing in Christ?  I’d be like the farmer who chose to NOT plant beans, cotton or corn because of weevils, blight or drought; he just wanted to play it safe, so he skipped checking and preparing the soil, and planting seeds.  He avoided the disaster of failure, but how will he feed his family?  And, if I followed his example, how would I feed my soul?

For You Today 

Testing our faith isn’t about embarrassment or test-anxiety, it’s learning to feed your soul, serve your King, and being ready for that great-gettin’-up-mornin’. 

It’s a test worth taking!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

(this post originally appeared as Taking the Test of Faith, 6/29/2016)

Title Image(s) courtesy of WikimediaCommons.org

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

 

Friday, August 5, 2022

The fruit of a righteous person is a tree of life, and one who harvests souls is wise.  Proverbs 11:30^(ERV)

You get a lot of think time when pressure-washing.  My machine is old, leaky, and was never a fun ride; but it works…and forces me to take note of what it teaches.  These are five thoughts about sharing your faith with others:

#1. Go Slow

It doesn’t help a pressure washer’s performance to “jiggle” the wand.  You may think so, but it then becomes more about your technique than what the machine was designed to do…clean throughly.  In sharing your faith with others, commit to taking on a project without jiggling.  Your friend’s soul is worth it.

#2. Remember What Does the Work

Like going slow (#1), letting the machine do the work will yield the best results.  The “machine” is a combination of your witness and willingness.  Sharing what has happened to you when God got through to your mind, heart, and soul, is what the Holy Spirit will use to reach another human soul. It’s never about fancy gimmicks; it’s all about God’s love, and our willingness to love others as He does.

#3. Keep the Gas and Oil Full

If the gas tank empties, you’re going nowhere in the cleaning business.  And if you don’t keep clean oil lubricating the engine, your machine may burn up – which, again, means you’re done.  Think of the gas as prayer.  As the engine depends on gasoline to keep going, so your witness depends on an uninterrupted stream of contact with God’s Holy Spirit.  And think of the oil as the reflecting pool God uses to help you remain functioning, and not overtaxed by the burden of the work.  My car is 10 years old and is approaching 200,000 miles…it still runs smoothly, quietly, and efficiently, because I missed zero oil changes!

#4. No Light Passes Over Hard Stains

There is a tendency to rush through any job, skipping over the hard stuff, just to get it done.  When you’re sharing Christ with the intention of helping another with his or her eternal soul, there are some things that will require much more attention than a simple exchange of information.  Be ready to hit the hard stains, some of them may be the tipping point of a new soul born into the Kingdom.

#5. Break Before You Break

My pressure washer always seems ready to serve, except when I make him work a whole day.  When that machine gets tired and overheated, it’s best to let him rest and cool-down a bit.  I’ve learned to work in 1-2 hour shifts, and give the machine a rest (along with the operator).  When sharing your faith, remember you are in the stressful arena of eternal soul matters.  Responsibility can make any machine overheat.  You’re no different, and God wants you whole and useful, and joyful.  Too much strain, without appropriate breaks can lead to a break-down.

For You Today

One of the best lessons I’ve learned is a pressure washer is not much good in storage.  Unless it is used, it will rust, and need a lot of repair before it is ready to help again.  Same thing with your witness…it was designed to be at-hand, and always at the ready to lend a hand to someone else’s soul-cleansing.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic explore some of these:  Churchspeak and Forgiven Witnesses

[1] Images:  WikimediaCommons     Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

When Lightning Strikes Again

 

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.  James 3:1

Last month Elizabeth and I attended Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska.  It’s a wonderful place, nestled in the beauty of North Carolina’s mountains.  We’ve stayed at The Terrace hotel on the campground for the last decade.  That also happens to be the same place where those who are on the conference program are housed.  The conference center auditorium is over a hundred years old, and because it is a mountain community, buildings are not exactly conveniently accessible; parking is even less so.  And that is why I could hardly believe my eyes when we pulled into the Terrace Parking lot.  One of the first parking spaces was open…and that was precisely the moment lightning struck me….again!

As I began to turn into the primo parking spot, the sign smacked me right in the face…it was one of those signs reserving the spot (thou shalt stay out of this spot or pay with thy life), declaring it off limits to anyone but the Rev. Dr. Edgardo Colon-Emeric.  I stepped on the brake much harder than I should have, and Elizabeth wanted to know what train hit us.  I mumbled something about lightning striking the same place twice, and scooted off to find a parking space without 800,000 volts attached.

The first time that lightning struck was about 10 years ago when I took a required class at Duke.  It was the last class before graduation.  It was Dr. Colon-Emeric’s class.  Perhaps, after 6 long years of juggling school, family, and serving a church, my longing to be done with school may have short-circuited my interest in the class, and I didn’t do particularly well…with either the curriculum or building a bond with Dr. C-E.  Don’t get me wrong…he’s a wonderful Christian brother, a dedicated educator and champion for justice…I was just so ready to be done!

It so happened that the last day of classes was my turn in the barrel.  I was to speak at chapel before the student body, staff, and professors.  In my sermon introduction I announced…Hey, fellow student grunts…aren’t you glad it’s over?  The response was a thunderous applause.  Then I charged the plates for lightning to appear.  I said, Hey…I feel your pain.  I’m so glad that class with Dr. Colon is over…his tests are murder…but I’m done…I’m done!  From the back of the auditorium came a deep, authoritarian voice with more than a trace of Spanish flavor:  I have not yet finished grading your papers!

Cue the lightning!

There are some moments that never leave you.  I can still recall going blank for a moment, but managing to live through the rest of that sermon.  The message time was a strict 9 minutes (I’m certain student sermons are limited for a reason).  It seemed like I was up there for 9 hours.

The good news is that Dr. C-E was a good sport, who enjoyed seeing me squirm, even tho’ he’d given me a generous grade on the course. 

For You Today

I still cannot recall the name or subject matter of the class with Dr. Colon-Emeric, but I remember that moment, and how it helped shape me for the “unexpected” in preaching.  Same goes for life…you never know when lightning will strike again.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts on Rocky Road Devotions. 

To dig deeper into today’s topic or Scripture text:  Blown Away by Every New Wind of Teaching and Lessons

[1] Images:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

Teaching the Children

 

Friday, November 6, 2020

O my people, listen to my instructions.  Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable.  I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.  We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.  For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel.  He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children.  So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.  Psalm 78:1-7

Children are always learning.  It is how we are created; we are born with brains that are sponges for information.  By the time you’re my age you may be a little overly-saturated with useless stuff you’ve managed to sop up in 7 decades.  And, while my little mind, a hard-drive full of thoughts, memories, conflicts, joys, sorrows, and wondering may be slowing down under the weight, children are just getting started. 

This Psalm reminds us of the importance of pointing children in the right direction.  That statement immediately draws forth the question, what if the kids won’t go to school?  This applies in a variety of ways.  Most kids haven’t seen the inside of a classroom for the past year; they’re still learning.  That goes for church also – at least being in the building; they may be worshipping if their parents have taken the time and energy to create a home-worship atmosphere.  Many kids have had to settle for screen-relationships to understand friendship-building. 

We live in a challenging time.  Wow – talk about the understatement of the year!  Perhaps 2020 will be remembered as the year of pandemic learning and political leaning.  Whatever history books (or learning modules, if you will) record of 2020’s dozen months of pandemic, it will certainly have to include the coronavirus as an epic political hot potato, straining personal patience, political tolerance, and parenting creativity to the fullest extent the envelope could withstand…and beyond!

And, still, the children are learning.

The question becomes, what ARE they learning?  The short answer is whatever they’re being taught.  Or, perhaps more appropriately, whatever they’ve caught. The familiar saying one picture is worth a thousand words comes to mind.  We ordinarily think of words, lectures, and tests when the subject is learning.  But life skills of manners in relationship, personal integrity, faith, citizenship, and responsibility are never best taught in a classroom; these are matters of observation and reinforcement by the ones most significant in the lives of children.

Dorothy Law Nolte wrote a poem, which later expanded into a book, detailing the premise that children learn volumes more from seeing what others do, rather than the direct instruction of words and lessons.  The poem begins with the negative, and navigates to the positive:

Children Learn What They Live

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.

If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and others.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.[1]

Whatever the children of this generation have learned about themselves, the world, God, and the human family during this year will directly and accurately reflect how we adults have acted during this year. 

For You Today

Is it begging a debate to ask what have you thrown in 2020 that others have caught?  And, the companion question, will 2021 be different?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image:  Pixabay.com   W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For another post on this text see:  Passing Along the Faith  

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[1] ©1972 Dorothy Law Nolte, All Rights Reserved.  Source:  https://childrenlearnwhattheylive.com/

Repeat

 

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Psalm 119:105-112

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.  I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:  I will obey your righteous regulations.  I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised.  Lord, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations.  My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions.  The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments.  Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.  I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end.

There is an expression most of us have used when we recognize a truth we have learned and relearned, and want to share:  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again!  The Psalmist’s companion to that is I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again….

One of the chief slams against “church” is the repetitive nature of worship.  Songs, prayers, and all sorts of rituals are repeated.  Even sermons (oh my!) are repeated.  But, as always, when you examine the reason behind the practice, you once again must conclude differently than first glance…the repetition works!  Consider the athelete who gets up early every morning to hit the track, the gym, the road, the punching bag, the batting cage, the tee box.  In every sport, business, human habit, or relationship, what we have done before helps memory help us do it again…and better (hopefully).

Now, I’ve said this before, so I have the memory bytes to say it again, what is true in the physical realm, is often reality in the spiritual realm.  That is certainly not a stretch when comparing creating the memory of a good golf swing, so you can repeat it the next time.  The goal in golf is to have the same swing, so you achieve a dependable, desired result.  The boxer slamming his fists into the workout dummy is teaching his body how to use maximum force to damage his opponent.  If it’s true that practice makes perfect, we understand the reason why school is important, and many hours in a flight simulator is important, and why the discipline of a strong devotional life is important…even listening to sermons.

Check that out in the Psalmist’s life:

          ·       He Promised:  I will obey your righteous regulations.  

          ·       He Prayed:  I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised.  

          ·       He Praised:  Lord, accept my offering of praise,

          ·       He Prepared:  teach me your regulations.  

          ·       He Prospered:  Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.  

And here’s the bottom line – in all the repetition of the Scriptures, even in the monotony of the begets, where you learn the unpronouncable names of obscure, ancient families, there is deep wisdom to be had.  But, as James says, if you just glance at it, and never do the reps of committing it to memory, as well as putting it in practice in your life by obeying the Word, it will pass through your mind, and slip away like a fading mist.

But don’t just listen to God’s word.  You must do what it says.  Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.  James 1:22-24

God’s Word is like shampoo in that sense; if you want it to do any good at all you’ve got to grab the bottle, pour it out, lather it in good, rinse off anything leftover, and, (do I need to say it?)…repeat!

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, when we get a little too bored with worship, help us to remember this image that our worship, study, and obedience, even in the small things, are like shampooing regularly; it may be tedious, but our lives will shine.

For You Today

I’m still in love with what I heard the African American preacher tell us preachers at a conference about how he goes about helping the repeat/learning skills of his congregation:

When I preach a sermon, I preach it three times:

·       I tell ‘em what I’m gonna tell ‘em…then…

·       I tell ‘em…then…

·       I tell ‘em what I tol’ ‘em!

Got it? …. or should I repeat?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today.  Have a blessed day!

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Title Image:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

For other posts on Psalm 119 see God's Word; Light for My Path - Lamp for My Feet and                              The Light On My Path