Lifetime Following, Lifetime Learning

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. –Mark 1:16-20

Dr. Ravi Ravichandran, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for the intelligence and security sector of BAE Systems and a member of Boston Trinity's Board of Trustees, spoke about following and learning in last week's Chapel.

"Jesus asked people to follow Him and then He taught them," Dr. Ravichandran said. "He calls us and then we learn. We follow and learn by a lifetime of service and sacrifice."

There are many types of learning, Dr. Ravichandran explained. Some people learn by reading, others by doing, organizing, or listening. It is important, he said, to understand how you learn. "Look for landmarks," he continued. "How has God taught you? Learn to trust God. He is faithful. How do you know that you are learning...that you are following? Look back. Where were you two years ago? How has God led your family? One of the best ways to see God's faithfulness in your life is to look back."

God teaches us and works in our day-to-day life experiences, Dr. Ravichandran said. He told the students that one of the biggest challenges they will face when they enter the "work world" is that the principles learned at Boston Trinity Academy will not be found there. "Our world does not believe in true and false, in good and evil, in the sacred... that God has created you." He emphasized that the biggest role they will have in the future is to worship God.

"Last year was a hard year," he said. "For many, it upturned life in ways we could not expect. As you go through uncertainties, it is God who is good. He will lead you, He will guide you."

Dr. Ravichandran closed by expressing his hope that Boston Trinity Academy students will be lifelong learners and followers of Jesus.