Exploring exploration

A little earlier today I had to come to terms with it...

you see I'd come up with this rather nice idea that there were three exes to learning and

... I really didn't know what on earth might be meant by exploring...

each time I tried to put something down it really came out like experimenting, hmm

so here goes, I'm going to try and explore what what exploratory learning might look like..

... if you're interested, I've just spent a little while looking at this post unable to get started, please be patient, I've got some words that I want to play with; I just can't get them into an order...

ok, I'll tell a few stories...

I think that Samuel was exploring when he heard God's voice in the night and thought that it was Eli calling him.  Notice how (eventually) Eli was able to help him.  Exploring involves seeking what God is saying to ME, NOW, in THIS place.

I suspect that Jonah was exploring when he was sitting in the fish and then, later as he sat sulking outside Nineveh.  Mind you, I don't think that his exploration was his own choice!  I wonder if, sometimes, we have exploration thrust upon us?

I think that Peter was exploring as he sat with the risen Jesus:  "Do you love me?  ... Do you love me? ... Do you even like me?" 

And Paul was exploring when he disappeared into Arabia.

Exploring involves dwelling with an issue, noticing effects and your response.  Recently, and not entirely to my choosing, I have been exploring success and failure.  I have been taken aback by how hurt, angry and frustrated I am and appalled at just how violently it comes out in my thoughts, thank goodness there usually aren't people to hear just what I want to say to them!  Exploration involves not hurrying by an issue (I don't suppose that it needs to be unpleasant... look at how often I return to the issue of learning in this blog.. oh that it rather unpleasant for you readers, oh.... :-/ but it's stimulating and intriguing to me). 

And that's why explanations (preaching) can be so destructive to discipleship. Sermons will tend to lay things out in a well organised package. Explanations give the answer and so risk us not needing to tarry awhile and find an answer for us.

Comments

[Laura]

Interesting thoughts here.
What you term exploring seems to be what I and a friend call processing. Thinking over something either consciously or subconsciously, waiting, pondering, turning a thing over but not really talking about it. It's something internal and that is done while you're going about your daily life.

Not sure if it's exactly the same but I think so. I've heard people using the term "exploring" for a while now and really didn't have a grasp on what they were talking about until I read your piece here.

Thanks for the insight.

Peace

[Caroline]

It sounds as if your term 'processing' is doing much the same thing, Laura. There is, however, a second element of exploring that is, perhaps, more physical... it's about exploring where we might be going as we follow Jesus.

I'm playing around with a second post on exploring now but struggling to differentiate between exploring and experimenting. It's one of those situations where I know what I mean but can't get the words right!

thanks for your comment