One of the challenges of attending the guitar class has been unlearning habits I have picked up over decades. My left hand has been in the wrong position for properly placing my fingers. My right arm in the wrong position for picking. My strumming rhythm hasn’t correctly followed the cadence of the music. It’s hard and I still do it wrong at times! But I have a teacher who is teaching me to unlearn bad habits, go back to basics and move ahead. There is still good stuff from the past but a lot of discipline is needed to not do what I have always done but start afresh.
I was reminded of watching a video on China recently. Facial recognition technology is being used by the authorities to monitor and control everything in society, including in church. To check if under 18’s attend (not allowed); to see what is said meets what the party approves. The church is having in some ways to “unlearn” how things have been done and think how best to move forward, adapting an unchanging gospel to a changing context. It is very challenging and sometimes dangerous too.
Finally, a song from 1990’s called “Growing Young” by Rich Mullins. How do we grow young-surely we grow older? To grow young we have to unlearn some of the things that have shaped our lives. To be humble enough to recognise we need to change in some areas. Maybe we need to accept in some ways we are all prodigals…
Adrian@60 