The image above was painted by my dear friend, Johnni Johnson Scofield, who took up watercolor painting when she was close to 70. I have always called this painting her self-potrait. Johnni loved learning.
Earlier this week my bookcase looked liked this. Then, I invited a young pastor, who is a real student of God’s Word, to come and help himself to what he wanted of Joe Ann’s theological library, half of what you see on these shelves. There is a wealth of theological exposition in those volumes; just looking at them made me feel rich. But like all of our riches, what good are they if they are not used? I picked up a volume of the set of fouteen by Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the book of Romans and paged through it. The underlining and the notes show they were used by Joe Ann. As much as I think I would use that set, I know I will not. Why should they and others be left until I die?
When he left my house, the bookcase looked like this and I was deeply satisfied. The exercise of relinquishing treasured things has been good for me. It was a reminder that there is much more I need to release that can be used by others. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions but I am hoping that I will expend the time and energy in the months ahead to let go of more tangible objects. I suppose the reason I have so many in my storage area is that it is the easiest place to put something I no longer need or use or that is taking up space I want for something else. It takes thought and work to decide what is junk that needs to be discarded, what needs to be given away and where or to whom, and what should be kept and why.
My bookshelves are full again. They now hold books with my notes and underlining. As I sat quietly this morning sipping a cup of coffee with my little dog on my lap, I began to think of intangible things I also need to look at and about which I need to make some decisions. Just as we sort through piles of material things and put them in boxes to be dumped, given away, or kept, I know I have a storage room in my head that needs to be decluttered. There are things there to let go of that are junk and of no use to me or anyone. I have tried over the years not to allow too much of that in my storage area. But there are many more things that if I took them out, unwrapped them, or dusted them off would be wanted and useful to someone.
Don’t we all have things like that we should and could let go of? One of the greatest things I learned from those who see the value of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and practice them is that they share their experience, strength and hope with others. And those who hear them can take or leave what they want and can use. AA and similar meetings remind me of a potluck where everyone brings something to share and all those attending can take what they want. If you come to a potluck without anything yourself, there is more than enough to go around.
There have been more times than I care to remember when I have left a person or a group and felt stingy. I really hate that word and I hate that feeling. Not offering a word of encouragement. Not acknowledging someone’s pain. Failing to give praise due. Not extending my hand to touch or arms to embrace. Holding back a compliment needed for a good effort or a task completed. Not seeing something and saying something.
I know the greatest gifts we have to give one another are not tangible. I started out writing about the love of learning and it seems that I may have taken a detour. Not really. I have gained much that is intangible from tangible things like books. But maybe more of what I have learned is from the stories of people’s lives spoken and unspoken but shared. I have nothing new to pass on. Like giving away Joe Ann’s used books, I’m just passing along what has been underlined in my own life. Those tested and worn gifts are what I like best from others too.
One man gives freely, yet gains even more: another withholds unduly, but comes to proverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 11: 24-25
2 replies on “The Love of Learning”
Thank you for this post on learning. I really needed to read it. I love your writing…it makes me feel close to Joe Ann. Oh how much I learned from her. God has been sooooo kind to me.
I love this encouragement to be a blessing with my tangible and intangible gifts. This is a good reminder that I get but one short life to do that. May God use our offerings for His service.