The Deaf Cycle (What They never told us.)

When I was in elementary school, I remember our teachers talking about cycles. Among them there was the water cycle, the life cycle of insects and amphibians, and the list goes on. When I think about it now, there are lots of cycles in the history of human beings too. And the deaf cycle is on top of the list. 

   When I say the deaf cycle, I don’t mean the actual people who are disabled from listening. Let me rephrase my title… “the cycle of ignorance.” Did you get a glimpse of my point here? Well, allow me to elaborate.

     Sometimes in life, the things we didn’t listen to when we were told not to do them, through time, we will get why we were told not to do so. And we will learn from our own mistakes. But because the time to fix our mistakes and problems will already have passed, we won’t be able to do anything except tell our kids and their kids not to repeat our mistakes. And just like most of us thought our parents were just nagging us when they told us to do this and not that, they will think of our advice the same. They will be ignorant. 

     They will choose to not listen to us, and they will make the same mistake, just like us. They will take the wrong path and will fall for the same temptations we did. They will miss the good opportunities and walk on our journey of failure. And finally, just like we did, they will regret everything. Did you spot the cycle and repetition?

   Proverb 9 |  

 “7 He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. 8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

         What should we do? How are we going to save the next generation from reciting the same slip-ups? If giving advice and repeating things over and over again, what can we do to change things? King Solomon gives us a key to this query… the first step to break the cycle. 

 

   Proverb 9 |  

“10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding.”

       The only solution we can provide to this urgent motif is the fear of God. People whose lives are centered on knowing God are zealous to learn from their mistakes. They are eager to correct their ways. They are wise and attentive to the things that they should be improving. When they feel weary, when they feel like they are in privation of wisdom, when their patience has run out, when hate has taken the place where love used to be, when they have no idea what to do, people who know where their salvation comes from and people who know how to dwell in the fear and presence of God, the first thing that comes to mind will be going to that prayer closet, bowing, and calling the name of God.

James 1|

“5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraided not; and it shall be given him.”

    In the end, rather than spouting pointless “advice” to the coming generation, it is very essential to first and foremost teach them how to dwell in the fear and presence of God. Because that is where wisdom starts.

    THE END.