start small - get help

Lewis tells us to start small today in A Year with C.S. Lewis.

He says that if we're learning to forgive, maybe we don't start with the Gestapo. Maybe we learn to forgive our brother when he wrongs us.

And Lewis is right. But he doesn't bring up a corollary that I think is very important. He points out that when you are learning math, you don't start with calculus. You start with basic math. But what Lewis doesn't add is that you very seldom learn math on your own. Sure, some people have done it. But most people learn math from a teacher.

So first, don't start with calculus. Second, find a teacher and learn from them. This applies very obviously to our spiritual life, too. Start with the simpler things that Jesus asks us to do. And find someone to both model the behavior for you, and to show you how. To teach you.

But in the case of learning to follow Jesus, you can do even better than that. You can go to the source. You can watch how Jesus lived, and imitate Him. You can ask Him to teach you how to do it. You can even ask Him to help you WANT to do it. That's the kind of teacher we're talking about here.

So when it comes to prayer, or loving other people, or being kind, or forgiving people... start small - and get help.

Thanks, God, for being there for us every second of every day to help us with our lessons.