Lifelong Learning in Balance

Balance is one of the essential keys to living wholly. The Greeks taught moderation in all things -- the golden mean. The Scriptures, too, teach balance -- particularly in the arena of study. On the one hand, Paul exhorts Timothy to "study to show himself approved unto God as servant of the truth who is able to "cut a straight line" with God's Word. (See 2 Timothy 2:15). On the other hand, though, Solomon warns us that "there is no end" to the "making of many books," and "much study is weariness to the flesh." (Ecclesiastes 12:12).

Hence, balance is also the key to study. When, however, you live on a university campus just a short walk from your office and two libraries, not to mention having ready access in both home and office, via the Internet, to a wide array of library collections from institutions of higher learning around the world, you are daily confronted with the temptation to live an unbalanced life -- to engage in "much study" and aspire to the "making of many books." A life lived according to the golden mean easily escapes you.

A life of balance can be an even greater challenge, though, in the face of requests for your assistance with the learning of others. In the past week, I have been approached by three different people asking for my help with the forming and leading of study groups (both a law student group and a faculty group) and the mentoring of other faculty. My first inclination is to offer whatever help I may be able to give. Jesus’ words, “Freely you have received, freely give” come to mind. I want to encourage others in their desire to learn and grow in knowledge as well as in faith.

So what’s a person, who believes they have been called to teach, to do? The Chinese proverb written along the side of this post says: “Study is eternal.” That is, the pursuit of truth, insight and understanding is a lifelong endeavor. Each day we’re on the path of learning. Our progress along the way, though, will be substantially enhanced by keeping our life, as a whole, in balance. Even as we seek to respond to the requests and inquiries of others, we must maintain a balance in our life together of learning.

Bonhoeffer suggests in Life Together that one of the key means of maintaining balance in life is to live each day as both a day with others and as a day alone. Indeed, he emphasizes how these two aspects of life impact each other when he writes, “Let him who cannot be alone fear to be in community; and, let him who cannot be in community, fear to be alone.” In order to respond effectively to others, I must maintain a daily discipline of solitude. So too, study is balanced with work, rest, and prayer.

These are the rhythms to the balance of  a long life of learning.