Education

Sometimes we really need to see the GOOD to understand just how much further we have to go to be at an acceptable standard…

The Descent from the Cross (Roger van der Weyden)

I spend a lot of my working hours undergoing learning and development.  It is part of the requirement of my professional work and also a requirement of some of the networking meetings that I attend.

And I have been thinking about that over the last few days.  You see, when people are running that education, it is quite easy to think that they are very good at their work.  And sometimes, they really are.  Sometimes the education being run is informative, well-presented and sometimes it is very entertaining but not informative at all.

And I have been thinking about the difference over the last few days.

Recently, I had the experience of undertaking some very entertaining education that was actually not very informative at all.  And while it was a fun experience, I felt that something was missing from it.  While that education was being run, the feedback was always that the education was very good and that people were very happy wit the education being delivered.  Problematically, though, when the entertaining education was being delivered, though it entertained, it did not inform, so people were left thinking that they were receiving very good education, when in fact, it was terrible.  It was only when good education that was both informative and entertaining was being run that people were able to realise that they were receiving inferior education previously…

And I have been thinking about that today as I have been thinking about my Faith.

You see, when I have small faith – the size of a mustard seed – I can convince myself that my faith is good enough.  I can live my life doing the minimum and think to myself that everything is great and that I am a little saint in the world saving the world through my own holiness. 

And then – sometimes – I get a little tap on the shoulder by a real Saint who made a real sacrifice and I am able to see clearly that my behaviour and performance was completely under-stated.  And when that happens it is like when a person realises that things are so much worse than they thought they could be.  It is only in comparison to what my behaviour SHOULD be that I actually realise what happened was below expectations.

And then – when I stop to compare my behaviour with that of the Blessed Virgin – or of Christ Himself – then I am really ashamed.  For the difference in our behaviour is so great that I cannot even understand the beginning of what I have done and the end of where it will lead.  And all that false pride in my achievements comes crumbling down…

And I have been thinking about that today as I have been thinking about education – because sometimes we really need to see the GOOD to understand just how much further we have to go to be at an acceptable standard…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.