Look it up.

I remember asking a lot of questions growing up. Most kids ask a lot of questions. I was no exception, asking and enquiring about this or that or the other thing. My father's response most of the time was the same: "Look it up."

He did not say this because he didn't know the answer. On the contrary, he probably knew the answer to many of the questions my little mind could think up. (The profoundly imaginative and perceptive questions which most children seem to instinctively explore not withstanding.) My father seemed to know everything. He was a wealth of interesting information about all kinds of things. He would talk about extremely practical things and share tidbits of scientific data. He would talk about rare plants and unique animals and stars and fish and you name it. From a kids perspective, my dad was brilliant!

I now know that there is a lot more information in the world than my dad or I could ever know. I no longer think that my dad knows everything. But my dad did know the most important thing. Here it is: When you don't know something, Look it up.

This simple phrase, repeated over and over again, with words and by example, taught me over time to love learning.  My father taught me that seeking the knowledge I wanted was just as important as gaining the knowledge I sought.

He taught me that books are valuable tools and assets which, if used well, would serve me long and hard and would always be full of reward. Indeed, the first books I put on my makeshift bookshelf were books I borrowed from him.  I remember reading his copy of E. M. Bounds' classic books on prayer and I still have his copy of Azusa Street on my shelf. I read his copy of The Most Dangerous Game and learned to enjoy fiction as well as non fiction. My own personal library is what it is due in part to his often repeated phrase, "look it up."

Now, with most information only a few clicks away and in the palms of our hands, we have no excuse for ignorance. We can learn and know if only we take the time to look it up!