Transforming Through Improvement

The phone is a wonderful device. It has kept us in communication for over a century now. When it first came out, it came as a wired device and stayed that way until sound waves were transmitted over radio waves as opposed to electrical waves in the cell phone. For more 100 years improvements were steadily made in the construction of the phone, but it was not until the transformational technology resulting in the cell phone that a real breakthrough in untethered communication could be had.

Recently, I was at an ASCD conference where I had a chance to speak to a very open educator and her ideas changed my vision. I had heard about "transformational" leadership, but somehow in my mind this meant "leadership that gets improvements". Speaking with Ms. Carter about transformational curriculum made me realize that pursuing transformation is far more impactful than pursuing improvement. Of course, there should be a "duh" there, but the thing that may not be so intuitive is that making improvements in one place may arise in transformation in another.

Which brings me to Celebration of Discipline, Chapter 5. Study. Foster recounts the famous scripture in Romans 12 about being transformed by the renewing of the mind, and in Philippians about dwelling on the things that are good, honorable, praiseworthy. Foster claims we have to learn (by studying) the truth, and the truth will set us free.

Lord, help me to understand that there is a commonness to faith, an everyday plug away kinda thing. But that, done the right way, in conjunction with Your Spirit, it can arise in transformation (not merely improvement). Help me pursue the things that will transform.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

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