Guidance Needed to Understand

I read and I read and yet sometimes understanding what I am reading escapes me.

“³⁰So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ ³¹And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” – Acts 8:30-31 (ESV)

I am not the only one. This Ethiopian eunuch was reading the scriptures and yet he was not understanding. Whether it was that he did not understand the language the idea that he was reading and not understanding was of importance.

Whereas the example of Philip going to help is certainly something to be modeled after, I want to specifically look at the model of the eunuch. This man listened to the question from Philip and honestly responded as opposed to pretending just to get away. He openly admitted his deficiency and “invited Philip to come up and sit with him”.

What an example of wanting to learn and understand. Although it may have taken some time, He likely could have learned on his own. Knowing that Philip would likely be one to speed his learning, he was open to asking for help. And for his openness, he learned, understood, and was baptized.

I wonder how open to asking for help from a complete stranger that walked up to my car I would be. Am I willing to demonstrate my vulnerabilities to the point of seeking guidance from another I do not know or know their intentions?

The lesson here for me is that we all need guidance no matter my station in life. That guidance can come from the most unlikely of places, like a man on the street. I have to take charge of my learning and be open to accepting guidance wherever it may come from.

What about you and your learning, are you taking charge of it? Are you willing to be vulnerable with what you don’t know? Will you seek guidance to understand?