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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for January 20, 2009
“Never Stop Listening to Instruction”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
“Lecturing is the worst form of teaching,” he lectured.
In fact, all he ever did was lecture.
He knew better. He knew how to be a good teacher, but he lost it somewhere.
No illustrations. No hands-on instruction. Not even a flannel graph. Just lectures.
How can someone go from being a popular teacher to a boring old lecturer?
Easy. He simply stopped listening to instruction.
He didn’t even listen to his own instruction.
I remember when the pastor announced that he was going to teach a Wednesday night series on marriage. One older gentleman told me he didn’t need to go. He’d been married a long time and teaching like that was just for young couples.
That’s a dangerous place to be. You are asking for trouble in your marriage if you ever stop listening to instruction.
I’ve been a parent for over 20 years now, but I’ve never stopped listening to instruction. I still soak up radio shows like “Family Life Today.”
Yes, I’ve heard most of the information before, but now listen. That’s the point. Even if I’ve heard it all before, I must keep listening. I must never stop listening to instruction.
Sometimes older people get out of the swing of going to church. “I’ve heard it all before,” they say. So they stay home and watch Turner Classic Movies.
Have you stopped going to seminars in your industry? Have you stopped reading trade journals?
I’m a fan of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. He seems to be hyper-focused, so I was surprised when I read about something he does before a lot of games.
Listen to what he said, “I talk to guys I admire anytime I have the opportunity…about baseball, about family. Just that 5 or 10 minutes before a game is enough. That's how you learn.”
So there’s Albert the MVP, talking to guys before games and saying, “That’s how you learn.”
He’s still listening. And if he wants to stay on top he will never stop listening.
Now listen to Proverbs 19:27. “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”
If we stop listening we will stray.
It’s like we all have a bad GPS unit inside of us. If we keep listening to instruction, the GPS gives proper directions. But when we stop listening to instruction, our GPS sends us the wrong way.
It reminds me of the lyrics to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” It says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.”
We are all prone to wander, prone to go astray – even when we know better.
The key is not just to learn something one time. We have to keep learning it. We have to go back and hear it again and again – because we are prone to wander.
Recently I read an article about writing radio commercials. Now I’ve written tons of commercials. I’ve taught others to write commercials. You’d think I’d have it down by now. But I have to keep learning. I must keep listening to instruction or I will stray from knowledge.
I know a bit about computers, but I still read my daily e-mail from Kim Komando.
I have to keep listening to instruction about how to take care of my body.
I need continuous instruction on marriage matters and money matters and spiritual matters.
Plants constantly need water, and we constantly need instruction. We need to plant ourselves by a steady stream of instruction, lest we stray from the words of knowledge.
So what about you today? Do you have a steady stream of instruction? Are there areas in life where you think you’ve heard it all before and don’t need to hear anymore?
Think again.
We are all prone to wander.
So meditate for a moment on these words from Proverbs 19:27.
“Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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