Last week, I wrote elsewhere about the idea of learning something in order to be helpful to someone else. You may have read it already.
Years ago, in order to talk with my dad about his experience with the US Army in Korea, I read a couple books about that conflict. I wanted to understand the bigger picture so I could listen with understanding and ask informed questions.
I’m wondering what you and I could choose to learn about?
- What could you learn about the theological framework of someone who you can’t currently understand? (Here’s a “resource guide for healthcare professionals in an interfaith world.”)
- What could you learn about your own theological framework? (I’m reading Introducing Evangelical Theology by Daniel Treier, who died last year and was deeply respected by people I respect. And I can buy books like that thanks to my coffee friends.)
- What could you learn about building stuff so when your neighbor needs a dog bed about the size of a toddler bed, you have the scrap lumber, tools, and random skills from watching Maine Cabin Masters to get something built in a few hours? (see the photo).
- What can you learn about fixing a really good mac and cheese to take to grieving friends (or to neighbors who need a meal)?
- What could you learn about caring for house plants so when your friend who is struggling with some plant issue (and grieving her husband), you can offer help with the plants.
- I have a friend who tracks sports so he can use it as a starting point in conversations to the people he’s serving in the hospital.
In short, what can you learn about something a friend cares about in order to be helpful?