I didn’t learn everything I ever needed to know in Kindergarten

I didn’t learn everything I ever needed to know in Kindergarten. I did start ditching though and I learned about bullying. I didn’t learn everything in first and second grade either, but I did learn to read and that there are some terrific teachers. I didn’t learn everything in grades three and four but I learned to both fear and respect Herr Weiermueller, aka Kaiser Red Beard, who was tough as nails and cared at the same time. After 4th grade things seemed to spiral downward and it seems that if I had learned everything in Kindergarten then grades five through 10 would not have been such a struggle, but if you would have asked me back then I would’ve claimed to know pretty much everything and that my teachers, parents, and everyone who disagreed knew nothing (but there really were some dinkeldorfers among them). I learned a lot during my year as an exchange student but a far cry from everything I ever needed to know. College, graduate school, seminary taught me a lot, including stuff I never wanted to learn but someone thought I should.Besides all of this formal education, like you, I was enrolled in the school of life from the day the midwife spanked my behind which caused me to cry out, “Present!” However the school of life doesn’t teach everything either. It lets you make the same dumb mistake over and over, you don’t have to advance if you don’t want to, it might even turn you into a twisted, tortured, scared, and scarred soul. But I have enjoyed some of its courses tremendously, like being a husband, Dad, brother, friend, or hard work, helping, and enjoying good.Somewhere along the path of my life I learned to love learning. My parents played a part in that, as did my aunt, a number of teachers and professors played that role as well, as did my wife and my children. And there have been so many whose knowledge and skills I admired, and often needed, who were willing to take the time and effort to teach me simply for the asking. I learned that even though I might not be the brightest or most skilled, I could learn. What a tremendous gift.I almost missed learning what is most important, not because it was unavailable to me. There were two churches in my hometown, there were Bibles (God’s written word) in our home, we had “religion” as a subject in school, some of my relatives talked about it, but I wasn’t interested, I was distracted, I didn’t see much value in it. I did not understand the importance of knowing about God and Jesus Christ. Lots of people seem to live just fine without ever thinking about God, which is the exact opposite of what God thinks, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). How important is it to know where we have come from? Where we are going? Who we are accountable to? What we are responsible for? What we cannot afford to ignore? Who has ultimate power? And who values and loves us more than anyone? We are stuck in our sin and the dysfunctional cycles of human history when we are disconnected from God. We are spiritually and eternally lost outside a relationship with God. We are poorer without him. We lack any true and lasting foundation for life, hope, and justice without him. It is possible to amass vast learning and miss what is most important. It is through God’s written word, the Bible I learned:“Start with GOD—the first step in learning is bowing down to GOD; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.” Proverbs 1:7 (MSG)“All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him (Jesus Christ).” Colossians 2:3 (HCSB, parenthesis mine)"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NASB)To God be all glory; love you, Pastor Hans (a fellow learner)