Habit #7 in Steven Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People says that… “the single most powerful investment we can ever make in life is investment in ourselves, in the only instrument we have with which to deal with life and to contribute.”
The translation of that means that we are responsible for improving ourselves. This is difficult. This is biblical. This takes work. I guess that is why most people would rather just hold their breath waiting for tenure and kick back… oops! Was that the outside voice?
Call it advanced education. Call it whatever you will. The reality is that most people are just glad they have a saw. Thankfully most companies are not. I mean they’re glad for the saw and all, but they know that in a few more uses that saw is going to get dull whether it wants to or not. It will start binding and catching and become quickly ineffective.
What is the answer? There are the “industry-standard” answers… depending, I suppose, on your industry. But things like seminars, conferences and retreats. Of course reading the “experts” in one’s field never hurts. And all those things are good and should be done.
But for the Christ follower, there is NO “keeping sharp” substitute for the Word of God. And it makes good sense. This is our link to God. If I believe all of that living and active stuff that Hebrews 4:12 talks about, I would be a fool not to spend my energy here. When I sit at the feet of Jesus every day, I cannot help being a learner. Spending time with God makes me realize how little I know and how far I have to go and what I need to do to get there. It keeps me sharp. As it turns out, the best way to sharpen the saw is with the Sword.
re:THINK 