Feb 1
Experience is the by product of action. Action is the by product of knowledge. The “BT breakdown” of gaining experience looks like this: Knowledge + Application = Experience. To say it another way, “Hidden inside knowledge is experience and application is the key to unlock it.”
Let’s say that we want to make something we have never made before. We go onto youtube and watch a diy video. We take note of all the steps in the process and the materials needed. We go to the store and get all we need to make our project. We get everything set up and now it is time to take the knowledge we have learned and put it into action. As we get into this process we are gaining experience – good or bad – it doesn’t matter, this is experience. Depending on how difficult the project is and the amount of knowledge and experience you have will determine the size of the learning curve. We make it to the end of the project and our end product doesn’t look quite as good as we had hoped. There were a couple steps that proved more difficult then they looked on the video. This process we just went through is how to “gain” experience. To “grow” in experience will require this next process.
Now that we have experience, we go back and watch the video again. We pay special attention to the techniques that are used for the steps we had trouble with. Because of our experience we are able to see things that we didn’t see before. Experience + Knowledge = Understanding. We take our new understanding and put it into action. We create the project again, and our end result has improved. It is this process repeated that creates ability, maturity and skill.
Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “If you hold to my teaching,” to hold to his teaching you first need to know what he taught. It’s from the knowledge of his teaching that you apply it and take action. Knowledge + Application = Experience, “You will know the truth”. This word “Know” is an experiential knowledge. As you take your Experience and continue to cultivate knowledge, you grow in understanding. It’s in this process that you truly become free.
You can only grow in experience with experience.