I was talking with someone in church today and an interesting idea came up. This person wanted to think about what the ICoC is supposed to have learned from the events from HKL to now. His idea started with a basic question – If everything that has happened to us was discipline from God, what have we learned?

So what have we learned?

I’ve learned a few things, personally. At the risk of sounding cynical at time and melodramatic at others, I have learned the following things:

• Not everyone is going to Hell. It’s true that not everyone is going to Heaven and the road is still narrow, but the boundaries are set by God, not me or anyone else.
• Middle management is always the first to be fired.
• A man reaps what he sows.
• Those that seek God will find him.
• God will lift up the man (or woman) who humbles himself in His presence.
• There are more spiritual gifts than leadership and musicianship.
• The Bible is not the Sword of Damocles, His preists are not His enforcers.
• What is whispered in secret will be shouted from the rooftops.
• We only defend the things we truly value. Those that rely on power and privilege continue to defend their power and privilege.
• I wasted a lot of time on trivial things.
• I was knitted in my mother’s womb, not cast from a mould.
• It is better to suffer the wrath of others than to suffer the wrath of yourself.
• Love that is freely given is freely returned. Love that is conditionally given, is conditionally returned.
• Outrage is neither hatred nor rebellion.
• Being nicer does not necessarily equate to being more spiritual.
• God is happy that He created me.
• There is a time to tear down. Sometimes the only way to rebuild is to completely start over.
• It is okay to share about God to others.
• We wanted to multiply, but only acheived duplication.
• Forgiveness is freely given – respect is earned over time.
• Do not say that the old days were better than this, such talk is unwise.
• Control comes in various forms – presenting limited choices is one of them.
• Don’t always wait for some to do the right thing – don’t always push others to do the right thing.

There’s more, but that’s the basic gist. What have you learned?