Be Prepared

The above title is the motto of the Boy Scouts. It's not a bad piece of advice for non-Boy Scouts, too. I'm in the midst of preparing to teach two courses this fall, a world religions course and a Hebrew scriptures course. Syllabi's are due next week and I'm cramming to meet this deadline.

In teaching, preparation is about 80% of the work. Not being well prepared has consequences such as a boring lecture, poor discussion questions, and leaving students with the feeling, "This guy doesn't know what he's talking about."

In hiking, preparation is even more important and the consequences even direr. Running out of drinking water can lead to dehydration. Not taking extra food can result in hunger and a lack of energy. Not dressing properly can lead to sun stroke or hypothermia. Not putting a compass and map in your backpack can lead to getting lost.

Preparation is also important in our spiritual life. So how do we prepare for spirituality? One way is to read books in this field. This can help us become aware of new and different spiritual practices. Another way to prepare is to begin each day in prayer or meditation. A quiet beginning can prepare us for whatever the day brings. Still another way is to take time to reflect on the question, "What feeds my soul?"

So much of our daily life is spent in preparing for what lay ahead. Being well prepared can make all the difference.

Prison Teaching

Last night was the first meeting of the "Intro to World Religions" class I'm teaching at a nearby prison. This college-level program is sponsored by Rising Hope, Inc., a non-profit organization that funds similar programs in seven prisons. Their website is: http://www.risinghopeinc.org/introduction.htm

My 12 students were respectful, engaged and engaging, and eager to learn. The two and a half hours of class time breezed by. At no time did I feel threatened or in danger, even though this is a maximum security prison. In fact, these men put me at ease with their humor and grace.

If these men study hard and stick with this program, they will earn one year of college credit. When they get out, they will have the skills to continue their college eduction. Studies show that programs like this dramatically reduce recidivism.

It fed my soul to be with these eager students and I look forward to our journey through the major religions of the world. None of them had ever taken a world religions course and were very curious to learn about them. They were especially curious about Sikhism and Taoism.

As I told them, I will learn much more from them than they will from me. The paradox of the Christian faith is that when we give of ourselves, we are the ones who receive.