Wind

Continuing education is a wonderful thing and well named. Or maybe "ongoing" would be better. Unfortunately we lose the sense of the ever onward and upward idea these words convey and replace it with the idea that our very next seminar, conference, class, workshop, etc. will find us at the ultimate answer. Here it is! This is it! Proven! At least until it is time for our next ultimate answer.

I wish we had more of a sense of "adding to the knowledge base" or "expanding our horizons" when it comes to our quest to be updated, freshened, inspired, grown, and personally and professionally developed. That would help us maintain a healthy posture toward these learning experiences. We wouldn't be overly enthusiastic or harshly dismissive of what we were learning. We would allow it to filter through who we are and the context we find ourselves in and truly help us grow.

No doubt we partakers share a lot of the blame for this problem. We want the final answer. It would make life so much easier. The magic pill or the super shot sound wonderful. We need to temper our enthusiasm a bit.

But some of the blame lies with the sponsors and presenters. They are selling, after all. It is their livelihood, their passion, and their life's work. I just think they would help their own cause if they were more realistic about their product.

There are a few who seem to get it right (Reggie McNeal comes to mind.) but most leave me with the feeling of "chasing after the wind." I think the cure from my side of things is to maintain a focus on Jesus. Anything else is just more wind.