A Learning Teacher

“Where are you headed this week?” Carla asked the question to plan scheduling needs for our blog posts. My answer surprised me a bit.

“I’m going to Grand Rapids to learn how to write a devotional for Our Daily Bread Ministries and then I’m teaching the contributors on how to stay fresh in their writing.” 

Wait. I’m going to learn. I’m going to teach.

Yup. Both. And. Isn’t that wonderful? 

Admittedly, I didn’t always recognize the delight in this seemingly odd pairing. I preferred the more compartmentalized, “I’m a novice” and “I’m all-knowing.” In student mode, I mistrusted my gut instincts and bowed before the authoritarian sage. In teacher mode, I insisted on agreement and resisted push back.

In such a posture, I missed a lot.

Now, in my sixties, I bend my heart into a question mark to learn from a seventy-five-year-old effort that reaches some 55 million readers annually with an unapologetically formulaic effort to bring daily manna to hungry followers of Christ. Because for seventy-five years they have fed others from the Word of God. Sure, I could offer my own version. But it wouldn’t be theirs and it likely, would not meet the needs of those God has called them to serve.

And now, in my sixties, I stand to share with those very devotional writers who create piece after piece of nourishment for others from what I’ve come to understand about how to be fed ourselves. 

I’m learning and teaching. Teaching and learning. 

A learning teacher. A teaching learner.

“… let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance …” (Proverbs 1:5)