Learning New Skills

Willow this year, being in year 3, learns some different disciplines in athletics. She can try shotput, javelin and long jump.

She was a bit concerned not knowing how to throw either the shotput and javelin or how to run and then jump off the board into the sand for long jump.

Her mum explained that the sports teacher will teach them how to do it, what to do, then they will get 3 tries over the next few weeks to get a score or measurement.

“You won’t truly know how you will go till you give it a go.”

We older adults, even at our age, sometimes feel out of our depth. Maybe it’s the new inventions that always seem to be presented nowadays.

A mobile phone? An electric car? Photocopiers? AI robots? Computers? Neverending gadgets that you need a manual so you can use it.

If you don’t keep up, you will be left behind.

The thing that is not new under the Sun is humankind. We think, the same yesterday, today and forever. Depending upon our personalities some of us are not concerned at all because we have chosen not to learn the 3 new track and field events, or the new computer skills or how to drive an electric car…….Others of us are worried we will make ourselves look foolish while others will give anything a go. None of the ways of approaching these new events or new technologies is wrong but we should try them. We have never done them before, so as to predict how we will go – who knows?

Our attitude just needs to be open to learn, to continue to develop ourselves, to not think we already know it all. Why? Because God loves a humble heart as stated in 1 Peter:

In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for

‘God opposes the proud,
    but gives grace to the humble.’

1 Peter 5:5 NRSV

I often feel I need to also learn off the younger ones too, just because I am older, I don’t know everything.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Do you find trying new things daunting? If so, why do you think that is?

When was the last time you challenged yourself to learn something new? What did you learn from the experience?

Is there anything that you believe God is asking you to approach with a humble heart?