Development is always made in relation to someone else. Every reference we have to someone's development, in any area of life is in relation no matter how disconnected. We are placed against a metric, all the time. Runners when they run. Swimmers, UFC fighters, Children as they grow and mature, Business people, moms dads brothers sisters. Every area of life we progress through, as you develop and expand, you pull experience from others communicate your desire, push forward to a new height, strain for a faster time, analyze this year against last year, desire a larger margin, greater organization, increased effectiveness, and so on.
We do this in every area of life.
Every area.
I noticed this while sitting at the table with my family when my 3 yr old asked me how his new born sister would learn how to talk, and how to walk. and I said "she will learn by watching you."
This, is the same dynamic we find in Titus chapter 2 regarding spiritual development.
They will learn by watching us.
We have learned by watching them.
Therefore, who we are, is what we have learned.
Who are we?
Who have we learned from?
Have we learned, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?
Will those looking at us learn those things?
Or will they learn the fruit of this world? Will they learn how to wield criticism, will they learn how to quench with questions, will they learn that self control is not as important as the mask we hide behind? Will they learn that Joy is fleeting because other people control my emotions, or that I am only kind when it suits my interests? Will they learn about the fitfulness of faithfulness, that 'I still have my ring on my finger', but I can't control my tongue, or my mind, or my eyes, or my right hand? Will they learn that gentleness is reserved for putting on diapers and talking to new little children we are meeting for the first time as opposed to siblings, parents, our own children, and people with views that oppose our own?
What will they learn?
What HAVE they learned?
What have you taught, that perhaps it would be better you now go, and humbly un-teach?
slv2all
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