I can’t remember where I heard it but someone once told me that “You’ll learn more on the job than you will in school.” There turned out to be a grain of truth to that. I attended college for 5 years learning about art and graphic design. But it wasn’t until I started working as a graphic designer that I learned what it really takes to get jobs done. While I was in school, the teachers and assignments were trying to prepare me for my future career, but really most of it was just theoretical and abstract. When I found work, the learning became applicable and tangible. There is a big difference between talking the skills needed for a job and doing the skills needed for a job. Some things you can only learn on the job.
Jesus recognized this as well. In Luke 9-10, he sends out the 12 apostles and seventy-two disciples to go get some on-the-job experience. These men had been following Jesus around and learning from his teachings. But in order for the learning to deepen, they needed to hit the road and go evangelize. This was an important step in getting them ready for the works they would do in the book of Acts.
We, too, are disciples; no different from the seventy-two that learned from Jesus and then were sent out evangelize and get hands-on experience. We are expected to sit at the master’s feet and learn (we do this by studying the Word and by attending Bible class and worship). But Jesus wants us to move past theory and abstract concepts by applying our knowledge in a hands-on, on-the-job way. God is calling us to the mission field. That may be just across the street or that may be across an ocean, but God is calling. If Jesus desired to send the apostles and the seventy-two, you can believe that he desires to send you too.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2)