As an elementary school teacher for 27 years, my late wife had a small placard sitting on her homeroom desk that contained the following words, which emphasized personal involvement in the learning process.
The placard read:
However, real learning and understanding takes place, only when there is an "involvement" of both the student's mind and body in the learning experience. We have to engage in the activity ourselves if any "real" learning is to take place. It is not enough just to have people "tell" and "show" us how something is properly done. We must "involve" ourselves in the learning experience if we are to fully "understand" how something is done (Ephesians 5:1-17 - note how the word "walk" is mentioned three times).
If we want to learn to fish, we must fish ourselves. If we want to learn "how" to operate a computer, we must operate a computer ourselves. No amount of "telling" and "showing" will get the job done. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the church is not growing spiritually as it should. We "tell" folks about the gospel of Christ. We "show" them why they should become a Christian. But after they become a Christian, we don't get them "involved" in teaching themselves and others more about the saving gospel of Christ (2 Timothy 2:1-2; Hebrews 5:12), thus allowing them to grow spiritually.
In teaching others, we are teaching ourselves (Romans 2:21-22; cf. Matthew 23:3). And in teaching ourselves, we ourselves gain a more complete understanding of God and His Word (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 3:18 KJV; cf. Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 2:2). By involving ourselves in the teaching of God's Word to our children and grandchildren (Deuteronomy 4:9; Psalm 78:1-8), we become a more mature child of God in the process (Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 5:12-14).
We can now fully understand why our Lord instructs his followers to "teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19). Only through the medium of teaching, can we properly "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
The placard read:
- Tell me, and I forget.
- Show me, and I remember.
- Involve me, and I understand.
However, real learning and understanding takes place, only when there is an "involvement" of both the student's mind and body in the learning experience. We have to engage in the activity ourselves if any "real" learning is to take place. It is not enough just to have people "tell" and "show" us how something is properly done. We must "involve" ourselves in the learning experience if we are to fully "understand" how something is done (Ephesians 5:1-17 - note how the word "walk" is mentioned three times).
If we want to learn to fish, we must fish ourselves. If we want to learn "how" to operate a computer, we must operate a computer ourselves. No amount of "telling" and "showing" will get the job done. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the church is not growing spiritually as it should. We "tell" folks about the gospel of Christ. We "show" them why they should become a Christian. But after they become a Christian, we don't get them "involved" in teaching themselves and others more about the saving gospel of Christ (2 Timothy 2:1-2; Hebrews 5:12), thus allowing them to grow spiritually.
In teaching others, we are teaching ourselves (Romans 2:21-22; cf. Matthew 23:3). And in teaching ourselves, we ourselves gain a more complete understanding of God and His Word (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 3:18 KJV; cf. Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 2:2). By involving ourselves in the teaching of God's Word to our children and grandchildren (Deuteronomy 4:9; Psalm 78:1-8), we become a more mature child of God in the process (Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 5:12-14).
We can now fully understand why our Lord instructs his followers to "teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19). Only through the medium of teaching, can we properly "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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