Do We Learn?
“A Rebellious Nation
2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
For the LORD has spoken:
“I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
4 Woe to the sinful nation,
a people whose guilt is great,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the LORD;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.
5 Why should you be beaten anymore?
Why do you persist in rebellion?
Your whole head is injured,
your whole heart afflicted.
6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head
there is no soundness—
only wounds and welts
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged
or soothed with olive oil.”
Isaiah 1: 1-6 (NIV)
Do we understand that repentance is simply the definition of effective learning? We are doing things a particular way and either it isn’t going well for us or someone shows you a more effective way to reach your desired goal. If we change our thinking and put the new information into practice we will recognize a new outcome. That would be great if it helps us achieve our desired goal. If it doesn’t but does get us a little closer then we learn from it, tweak it, apply the new method, and if it works great, if not we tweak again.
We don’t have to berate ourselves for not getting it right the first, second, or fifteenth time, we are in the process of learning and repenting, and eventually, we will learn. This only works for those who are willing to put the new information into action. Why do we keep hitting our heads against the same walls but don’t change?
God speaks to this in the scriptures.
“A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.”
Proverbs 13:1 (NIV)
“13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,
but whoever respects a command is rewarded.”
Proverbs 13:13 (NIV)
“18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.”
Proverbs 13:18 (NIV)
We are not to lose heart when God shows us what we are doing wrong, after all, “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) (NIV). But God is light, He is love, He is a teacher, He tells us what we should do and how we should live because he is trying to protect us from harm. “Love always protects.”
1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)
“15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.”
Proverbs 22:15 (NIV)
“24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”
Proverbs 13: 24 (NIV)
God doesn’t spare the rod because he loves us, he doesn’t hate us - so he is careful to discipline us.
“4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.”
Hebrews 12: 4-7 (NIV)
God disciplines us out of love to correct our behavior as long as we learn from it and change. Do you know who didn’t change when he was being corrected? A Pharaoh in Egypt named, Rameses. The ten plagues were the application of the rod that was used to discipline him but instead of being corrected - he hardened his heart and continued to rebel and it cost him everything, even his son.
Why do we think that we don’t have to apply the scriptures to our life, and put into practice the new teaching that God has taught us?
When our teacher in school taught us something new we had to practice it all week in class and as homework so that we could use these new methods to pass the test on Friday afternoon.
When God is teaching us about ourselves and shows us new methods and ways to live you can believe that a test is coming. We only pass when we have practiced obedience to this new method and that is repentance.
If we practice enough it gets easier to do, but we must persevere in the new method and not turn back to the old that wasn’t working in the first place.
It hurts, it’s awkward, and change is challenging but we are better off when we deny ourselves and simply learn and apply the new teaching.
“11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”
Hebrews 12:11-12 (NIV)
Why do we need to keep being beaten by the rod? God is asking this same thing in Isaiah 1:5-6. We are hurt and suffering and yet - we refuse to change? It doesn’t make any sense. So maybe we need to ask ourselves the question - Do we learn?
