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The Other Half The Other Half
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I am fascinated by the way we learn. My son, a teacher, tells me that the method of teaching has changed a lot since I left school. It seems that children are no longer expected to learn a huge quantity of facts - they are, instead, taught how to find out what they need to know and where to look for the answers. (Yes, this is a general sweeping statement and everyone will know of exceptions!) Above all, they are taught to think for themselves and not accept everything without question. I think I may have mentioned this before as I find it quite a difficult concept to accept in lots of circumstances. Anyway, I am sure it is still true, that we find it easier to remember things if they have been illustrated by a story. Deep truths can be difficult to accept but easier to assimilate if wrapped up in an interesting tale. That’s why, I think, Jesus used to tell all those parables. His listeners could often empathise with the characters and very quickly understood the vital points which Jesus was making. He often prompted his audience to think for themselves and left them with a question to answer. So, how does that affect my relationship with the Lord? Here is an interesting picture which I found very challenging this week. We have all heard and thought about Jesus as the good shepherd. An easy, comfortable image; one of protective, caring love, safe and secure, in charge of a beloved flock which listens to His voice and desires only to follow Him. A friend was describing his visit to a farm where he watched a shepherd shear his sheep. He said that he realised, for the first time, that sheep have extremely strong wills. Apparently watching a shepherd trying to hold a sheep to be sheared is like watching a wrestling match! Now there’s a change of focus - and one with which I had no difficulty identifying. It is a fact that, having heard His voice and understood His desires, my will often has a better plan, a better timetable or a shortcut He hasn’t seen. The greatest gift our God gave us is that of free will. But how he must agonise over us when we use it in opposition to Him. On the other hand a strong will surrendered to God must be a thing of beauty and a rare gift. As parents we have always wanted our children to make their own decisions, to take responsibility for their actions and to stand up for what they know is right and true. A strong will is always needed to stand against the majority, to vote against the popular vision, and we must be sure of our facts if we do that. We need to know how and where we can test everything so that we can be sure that we have learnt our Lord’s desire. Knowing all that - whether we learn it by old or new methods, easily or with a struggle - we can surrender our will to the Lord and stand in His strength. After all, one with God is always a majority! © Sue Whitehead
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