My family has a habit of debating current issues at the dining table. The other day we were talking about the U.S. educational system. We all agreed that there is room for improvement, but had differing opinions on what those improvements should be. We all agreed that a larger proportion of the current funding should go to paying teachers, and less should go into athletics. We also agreed that, as a nation, we need to spend less on entertainment and professional sports while diverting some of that money into education. We also felt that it would be good to have higher standards and regular certification exams for both students as well as teachers. However, I think that all these fixes won’t amount to much, unless the students themselves are intrinsically motivated to learn. Even the most knowledgeable, caring, talented teachers can’t be effective, if the students aren’t paying attention.
We have ample opportunities to learn from our experiences. God lays out His lesson plan daily. Here is an example of something He taught me recently:
“First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.” (Prov. 16:18 MSG)
These days we are encouraged to be proud of ourselves, our family, our school, our country, our race, and our faith. I’ve been drifting along on this cultural wave, without paying much attention to the above lesson on pride. Recently, I’ve noticed that confidence in our abilities has morphed into hubris. I can see it being passed on in my family from one generation to another. Our egos are getting us into trouble. We are falling into gutters of bossiness and condescension.
I’ve been exposed to this lesson on pride many, many times. Somehow, I’ve always assumed it wasn’t relevant to me. This time, I’m focusing. I hope I retain this material and make changes.
Life presents us with practical applications of universal truths. Yet even the best educational system and the Greatest Teacher can only be effective, if we pay attention.
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