Saturday, October 11, 2008

Oscillating Between Learning and Teaching

Teaching and Learning work hand-in-hand. They strengthen each other. You learn as you study the Word, as the Lord directs you through life experiences, as you fight the good fight of faith. And you sharpen that learning as you prepare for teaching. Teaching actually widens the avenues of learning!

I've seen many people stagnate or plateau in their learning -- until they teach or mentor others, and then their own growth continues.

I believe God has wired us this way. It's one of the attributes of relational community.

Let me give you some counsel about the rhythm of learning and teaching. You will naturally oscillate between the two. There is a flow between the "modes" of being a student and being a teacher. Neither is better than the other; they complement one another! Trust that the flow between them is a positive experience.

My recommendation is to monitor your motivation. If you monitor your motivation level, you'll notice that sometimes feel more motivated to learn and study. Other times, it will swing and you'll feel practically compelled to teach. (I believe this is often a signal from our Lord, a calling.) When you feel less motivated to teach, switch to student mode. And when your motivation for learning more weakens, see if switching to teaching mode is helpful.

My personal observation is that when I resist this "motivation" signal, I only feel more lazy, more uninspired. My enthusiasm is rejuvenated when I honor it.

Have I also handled this teacher/student oscillation well? No. I'm still learning! (And now I'm in teaching mode :-)

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