{"id":1888,"date":"2013-01-20T21:07:09","date_gmt":"2013-01-21T04:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thegatheringcincinnati.org\/?p=1888"},"modified":"2013-01-20T21:07:09","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T04:07:09","slug":"january-20-2013-uncommon-new-years-resolutions-staying-teachable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/2013\/01\/20\/january-20-2013-uncommon-new-years-resolutions-staying-teachable\/","title":{"rendered":"January 20, 2013, "Uncommon New Year's Resolutions: Staying Teachable""},"content":{"rendered":"

Message 119, \u201cUncommon New Year\u2019s Resolutions, Staying Teachable\u201d, 1-20-13\"teachable1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(c) Doug Slagle, Pastor at the Gathering, All Rights Reserved<\/p>\n

To Download and listen to the message, click here:<\/p>\n


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For many of us who love and appreciate dogs, recent research has looked into how and why they learn.\u00a0 The American Kennel Club conducted research into ways dogs are teachable, the characteristics that make them so, and the breeds that are best at learning new skills or tricks.\u00a0 While most dog owners will assert that their Fifi or Fido is the smartest, most loyal, and best looking, this research shows that teachability is not a function of canine intelligence.\u00a0 Many dogs and breeds are very intelligent but they are not suited for being teachable in the sense that they want<\/i><\/b> to learn and are quick to do so.\u00a0 Some dogs are patient, gentle and quiet – ones best suited for guarding livestock or for being a household pet that is a loyal companion or a long suffering playmate to young children.\u00a0 Even so, according to this research, all dogs, at any age, are capable of learning new skills or so-called tricks.<\/p>\n

Highly teachable dogs, however, are best suited for herding livestock, for pointing and retrieving, for serving as seeing eye or aid dogs, or for more contemporary skills used in police and military work.\u00a0 These dogs and breeds are known for having distinctive qualities that make them teachable.\u00a0 They are energetic, eager, alert, and active with a strong work ethic and very curious minds.\u00a0 In measuring teachability, dogs that learn well are able to regularly and correctly perform specific skills after only 5 or fewer command and training repetitions.\u00a0 These dogs, however, are NOT always the best household pets or companions as they get bored easily and they need continual challenges and physical activity to keep them engaged.\u00a0 As reported by the American Kennel Club in their research, the ten most teachable dog breeds\u00a0 – but not necessarily the most intelligent\u00a0 – are the American Border Collie, the Poodle, the German Shepherd,\u00a0 the Doberman Pinscher, the Golden Retriever, the Sheltie,\u00a0 the Labrador Retriever, the Papillon, the Rottweiler and last, but not least, the Australian Cattle dog.\u00a0 If your dog is not on that list, please send your letters of protest to the AKC – and not to me!\u00a0 And, if you are a cat owner and completely disgusted with my opening remarks, well\u2026we all know that cats are far more intelligent than dogs!<\/p>\n

At any rate, what is fascinating to me in doing the research for this message is that the qualities that make a dog highly teachable are the same for humans.\u00a0 And, as with dogs, every person, no matter how old or young, is capable of learning new things and new skills.\u00a0 Some people are more disposed to learn quickly but everyone CAN be taught and everyone benefits from lifelong learning and an attitude of teachability.<\/p>\n

Phillip B. Crosby, a well known author and business quality management expert, asserted in one of his books that, \u201cThere is a theory of human behaviour that says people subconsciously retard their own growth. They come to rely on cliches and habits. Once they reach the age of their own personal comfort with the world, they stop learning and their minds run on idle for the rest of their days. They may progress organisationally, they may be ambitious and eager, and they may even work night and day, but they learn no more.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

This statement sadly describes too many people and can even describe how some of us approach life.\u00a0 After some years of education and life experience, we settle into subconsciously believing that we know all we need to know.\u00a0 Our values, our knowledge and our thoughts about any number of subjects, including politics and faith, begin to solidify and soon become rigid and inflexible.\u00a0 Without knowing it, we can become close minded to anything new or different.\u00a0 As Phillip Crosby pointed out, we might adopt a few new practices, work hard and even accept some new situations, but we don\u2019t really learn<\/i><\/b> new sets of facts or new skills or new thoughts that take us mentally and physically beyond what we knew and thought when we became too rigid.<\/p>\n

As the third and final of my uncommon New Year\u2019s resolutions that we\u2019ve considered in this month of January, I believe that staying teachable is a crucial and foundational attitude for all of us.\u00a0 Indeed, if we believe we have already arrived at all of the knowledge, opinions and values that we need in life, why should we attend church, why should we read new books, magazines and newspapers and why should we listen to new speakers or attend seminars and classes?\u00a0 Certainly, many of us continue to do these things all our lives, but to what degree are we truly and honestly open minded?<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 How much of our reading, listening and so-called learning is derived from books, speakers or shows that confirm and support what we already know and believe?\u00a0 How willing are we to consider totally new thoughts, skills, ways of life, opinions or values?\u00a0 How capable are we to accept and adopt significant change in our lives – in where and how we live, work, attend church or find relaxation and entertainment?<\/p>\n

While I don\u2019t advocate thoughtless and trivial changing of our deepest convictions at the drop of a hat, I do question whether we are even minimally open to the possibility that we could learn something totally new such that we would dramatically alter our lives and beliefs.\u00a0 Are we open to the\u00a0 possibility that we could evolve<\/i><\/b> in our thinking such that over time and after acquiring new knowledge and new insights we would find ourselves changed?<\/p>\n

Being teachable, in my mind, is not just<\/i><\/b> having an intelligent mind that is able to assimilate a few new facts.\u00a0 It involves an attitude and an openness to different ways of life, thoughts and opinions.\u00a0 It means being willing, no matter how painful, to consider other viewpoints and other approaches to living that are different from our own – and then honestly considering the wisdom and validity of them.\u00a0 Ultimately, we may not change, but the larger question remains: have we already made up our minds to reject the new and different or, are we truly open to possible change?\u00a0 Much like highly teachable dogs, do we wag our figurative tails in eager anticipation to hear and learn something new – even if it contradicts what we already think we know?<\/p>\n

The Biblical book of Proverbs says that \u201cThe discerning heart seeks knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.\u201d<\/b>\u00a0 Buddhism confirms this wisdom by asking us to grow through our minds.\u00a0 Indeed, the goal in life, according to Buddhism, is to reach a state of full enlightenment about all truth.\u00a0 For Jews, Muslims and Christians, enlightenment is what a person gains in eternal life – thus shaping how he or she lives and what he or she believes.\u00a0 Paul, writing to the people in ancient Rome, encouraged them not to be conformed to everyday worldly patterns of thinking but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 He asked them to be open to radically new ways of spiritual thinking – ones that embodied Jesus ethics of love, compassion, forgiveness, humility, gentleness and generosity.\u00a0 Instead of living by Roman values of savage, brutal and self-focused thinking, Paul taught a new of way of life that was totally\u00a0 different.\u00a0 Significantly, almost all world religions advocate that their particular path to Divine truth is the better way. But, such assertions are premised<\/b> on a person being open minded and willing to change.\u00a0 Conversions to any faith cannot happen unless a person is teachable.<\/p>\n

What that means for any of us is not that we automatically change our current faith or spirituality.\u00a0 Instead, what it means for me is that we are called to be teachable, curious and open minded about all things, including the most fundamental faith questions humans ask.\u00a0 Why are we here?\u00a0 What purpose do we serve?\u00a0 Is there eternal life and, if so, what will it look like?\u00a0 We\u2019re called to learn and consider the elements of ALL faiths, to ask questions, to be spiritually curious and to continually seek after things and matters that are universally and eternally true, right and good.\u00a0\u00a0 Spirituality, is not about arriving at hard and fast ideas and beliefs – no matter our faith.\u00a0 Spirituality involves opening our minds, hearts and souls to what the Divine continually reveals to us and to all humanity.\u00a0 We are spiritually inquisitive people, therefore, in order to improve ourselves and to then go out and help build a kinder, just and more joy filled world.<\/p>\n

Being and staying teachable throughout our lives is about applying several characteristics into how we think and act.\u00a0 Ultimately, as it is with dogs, teachability is not about innate intelligence.\u00a0 We all know people who are quite smart but who seem to lack intuitive common sense or basic wisdom.\u00a0 John Maxwell, the well known contemporary author on business and management skills says, \u201c<\/b>Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply. It is the hunger to discover and grow. It is the willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn.\u201d<\/b>\u00a0 For Maxwell and almost any human resource manager or boss in any company or business, teachability is an essential quality desired in an employee.\u00a0 It is a quality necessary for success in any line of work and, for our purposes, in any life endeavor.<\/p>\n

Maxwell outlines several characteristics a teachable person has.\u00a0 First and perhaps most important, a teachable person listens!<\/i><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0 He or she listens with the express intent to understand what the other is saying.\u00a0 So often we can appear to listen but we are mentally working ahead and thinking about what we want to say, either to agree, disagree or talk about ourselves.\u00a0 Instead, the point of active listening is to not only hear the words spoken but to actively assimilate them and process them so that we fully understand the point the other is making.\u00a0 We don\u2019t have to agree or disagree.\u00a0 Our goal, instead, is to comprehend in such a way that we can\u00a0 repeat, using our own words, what the other has just said.<\/p>\n

Second, teachable persons ask lots of questions.\u00a0 They are eager and willing to gather more information and gain new insight.\u00a0 They are like the very eager dog who almost can\u2019t wait to be shown a new skill.\u00a0 I don\u2019t consider myself perfect in this, but I am often accused of being like a therapist when I talk to folks.\u00a0 I like to ask lots of questions.\u00a0 I want to know about people\u2019s lives and their thoughts because they interest me and I learn so much from them.<\/p>\n

Third, a teachable person is always looking for teachable moments – those unique times when one can really learn something new and different.\u00a0 That might come after one makes a mistake or when someone else describes mistakes he or she made and the lessons they learned as a result.\u00a0 Teachable moments are also occasions to hear new speakers, read new books or watch new movies or shows.\u00a0 For me, this involves forcibly extending myself beyond what I already believe and think.<\/p>\n

When reading facebook updates or my news page, I often struggle with reading posts from friends and others that express ideas and thoughts very different from my own.\u00a0 I have the impulse to unfriend the person, reply in anger or simply hide their posts.\u00a0 The same is true with commentators or TV opinion shows I come across.\u00a0 I try and force myself to read and watch what others have to say not just to hear the arguments of others but to deeply understand them.\u00a0 I still struggle with the impulse to immediately reject differing thoughts and move on to people and things with whom I agree.\u00a0 But, as long as what people say is not hateful or mean spirited towards others, I\u2019ll listen.\u00a0 (I offer the quick aside that I strongly believe we should always be respectful in our language and never speak or write hateful or insulting words to or about anyone.)<\/p>\n

When listening to or reading opposing opinions, I try my best to think about what the other is saying and to honestly consider the merits of their point of view.\u00a0 I still struggle doing this and I may not change my opinion but I hope I am at least open to that possibility.\u00a0 And, I hope that on occasion I DO change my opinion based on what I read or hear.\u00a0 I am not anywhere close to perfect in being broadly open minded to opposing ideas but it is an attitude I want to increasingly adopt.\u00a0 I honestly want to be a teachable person.<\/p>\n

Fourth, Maxwell says that a teachable person clearly understands the process of learning.\u00a0 We learn by regularly examining our lives – our speech and actions.\u00a0 We determine how well we have performed or how effective our speech has been in any situation.\u00a0 This is done through honest self-reflection and by asking for the sincere opinion of others.\u00a0 After doing that, a teachable person then assesses how he or she could have done better.\u00a0 That is a crucial step in learning when we accept our past mistakes and think about possible future corrections.\u00a0 We have truly learned,<\/b> however, when we change<\/b> our behavior or speech.\u00a0 Almost anything we do or communicate can be improved and altered if we are teachable and willing to learn.<\/p>\n

Last but not least in qualities a teachable person has is the ability and willingness to honestly and deeply ask oneself how willing am I to change?\u00a0 How truly teachable am I?\u00a0 Am I too defensive in resisting new thoughts or actions?\u00a0 Am I too arrogant by insisting my opinions or my way of doing things is absolutely right, no questions asked!?!\u00a0\u00a0 Am I too fearful of change and of upsetting the status quo?\u00a0 Am I too afraid of failure?\u00a0 Am I too lazy to do the work necessary to change?\u00a0 We all know that changing our thoughts, actions or beliefs involves a process of learning that takes time and effort.\u00a0 We have to work!\u00a0 Am I too complacent and comfortable in my current situation or way of thinking?\u00a0 Once again, we all know that change involves altering, for a time, our comfort levels and our equilibrium.\u00a0 Our lives, our world view, our work and even our friends might be upset and disturbed for a time.\u00a0 Am I willing to endure such hardship in order to realize a greater good?\u00a0 In determining whether or not we are really teachable, we should ask ourselves these important questions and honestly answer them.\u00a0 If we then realize we are not fully teachable, we should ask ourselves, do we want to be teachable and do we want to change in order to improve?\u00a0 Hopefully, we all want to be better and more effective in everything and anything we do.<\/p>\n

When I arrived at the three uncommon New Year\u2019s resolutions I\u2019ve used in this January message series, I saw them as three separate and unique resolutions.\u00a0 As I said two weeks ago, they resonate with me.\u00a0 Going through the process of researching and writing these messages, I see the three resolutions are related to each other in ways that I had not earlier seen.<\/p>\n

I said last week that a primary goal in our lives is to live at peace with ourselves and with others.\u00a0 Toward that end, one personal resolution we can undertake is to accept others as they are and to stop being judgemental.\u00a0 Related to what we are discussing today, we can only change ourselves.\u00a0 We cannot change others.\u00a0 They must do so themselves.\u00a0 Our task is to encourage people and not judge them.\u00a0 Our call is to respect, honor and love all people no matter how different they are from us.<\/p>\n

In order to accept others as they are, we will need to find ways to control and properly express our anger.\u00a0 Yes, others hurt us.\u00a0 Yes, others express opinions and act in ways that are not only different from our own but seem to confront who and what we are.\u00a0 Such differences can easily excite feelings of anger or resentment in us.\u00a0 But, as we discussed last week, anger expressed with violent speech or violent actions are selfish and egocentric.\u00a0 So too is passive aggressive anger where we hide our feelings while acting out in subtle but destructive ways.\u00a0 We control angry feelings by remaining calm, by not suppressing the feelings and by actively seeking solutions to issues through gentle dialog and negotiation.<\/p>\n

In accepting the differences in others and by finding ways to control our anger, we can build peace in the world and in our lives by being teachable and willing to change – as we have discussed today.\u00a0 Usually, that means we are humble enough to accept that others have valid opinions of their own.\u00a0 We will also accept the very real possibility that we are wrong in at least some of our most sincere thoughts, beliefs or practices.\u00a0 We are all imperfect people full of issues and flaws.\u00a0 The beauty in us is revealed by our humility, love and ability to change for the better.\u00a0\u00a0 The wise, the good and the strong are those who can accept others as they are, who learn to control and appropriately express their anger and who then are willing and able to be taught and to change.<\/p>\n

My dear friends, life is so hard for each and every one of us.\u00a0 No matter who we are, we each struggle with ways to live peacefully, happily and healthily.\u00a0 We each want what every living soul wants – to live with\u00a0 purpose, to find basic security and to have opportunities to be happy.<\/p>\n

On this eve of celebrating one of the great prophets of history, Martin Luther King, Jr., let us live true to his legacy of nonviolent change.\u00a0 To bring about peace in our time, we must bring about peace in our souls.\u00a0 Embracing humanity in all its wide diversity, let us act and speak not in anger but in love.\u00a0 And then, let us work for positive change in ourselves and in our world.<\/p>\n

I wish us all great success in our New Year\u2019s resolutions as I wish you each, here and listening online, much peace, joy and love.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Message 119, \u201cUncommon New Year\u2019s Resolutions, Staying Teachable\u201d, 1-20-13 (c) Doug Slagle, Pastor at the Gathering, All Rights Reserved To Download and listen to the message, click here:   For many of us who love and appreciate dogs, recent research has looked into how and why they learn.\u00a0 The American Kennel Club conducted research into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1888\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}