In recent years, our government have been encouraging us to upskill and reskill ourselves so that we can remain relevant in the changing job market. The government is even giving citizens free money to attend courses in the form of SkillsFuture funding. Why is the government willing to spend a billion dollars annually to subsidise training? Obviously, they know the importance of continuous learning. They know that the money spent will reap bigger rewards in the long term for the country.
I think the same is true in our spiritual lives. The time and effort that we spend on the discipline of Study will reap greater benefits in the longer run. In his book Celebration of Disciple, Richard Foster states that “the purpose of the Spiritual Disciplines is the total transformation of the person. They aim at replacing old destructive habits of thought with new life-giving habits. Nowhere is this purpose more clearly seen than in the discipline of Study.” [1] Indeed, Study is a discipline that reaps tremendous rewards because it can transform our lives. But only if we are willing to invest time and effort into it.
Unfortunately, some Christians see Study as something only those contemplating full time ministry embark on. Some imagine the process of studying to be boring, difficult, even painful. It is not surprising then, that many Christians are contented with learning God’s word in church once a week, instead of making it part of their daily routine.
Foster very helpfully breaks Study in to two forms: verbal and non-verbal. He says that “books and lectures, therefore, constitute only half the field of study, perhaps less. The world of nature and, most important, the careful observation of events and actions are the primary nonverbal fields of study. ” [2] While the study of verbal books is certainly important, we may miss the greater opportunity of studying non-verbal books that God has given us. We can learn many things by studying the natural environment, by interacting with people, and through observing how things work. Anything from observing how a catepillar morphs into a butterfly to understanding why countries go to war can give us great insights into how we should lead our spiritual lives. Learning occurs when we are willing to spend time and effort to study the things and events that we see. Doing so engages our minds and allows us to learn.
Christians in this generation live in a world that is changing faster than before. To keep us relevant, we need to practice the discipline of Study, so that we can remain effective disciples and disciple-makers for Christ.
[1] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (PerfectBound, 1998), 62.
[2] Ibid., 64.