The Long Division Process
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away …” Oh! Wait a minute. That’s the opening to the Star Wars films – not a Pastoral Nugget. Yet, it seems very applicable today. A long time ago in what now seems like a galaxy far, far away – grammar school – I remember learning the basics of mathematics. I hated math then and don’t like it much better today.
There are two vivid memories I have of learning math. The first was Miss Edna Champion’s class room at Rosemont Elementary School. Every day when we walked into her class, the blackboard was filled with multiplication problems – and we had a test – every day! I had not memorized the multiplication tables. Consequently, I failed the test every day. This went on for a week or so until my momma made my oldest brother work with me at night forcing me to memorize the multiplication tables. I remember the pride I felt when I passed the first one of those tests Miss Champion gave. It’s simply amazing how much better you score on a math test when you know the multiplication tables!
The second vivid memory I have regarding learning the basics of math is when we had to learn long division. We had already mastered short division regarding simple numbers. That was a breeze. Then we graduated to long division, which dealt with long and complicated numbers. Now, the thing that stands out to me the most about this is that having the correct answer to the problem was not good enough; you had to show them the formula or the process you used to get the answer. I have actually had teachers mark test questions incorrect even though I had provided the correct answers. Why? Because I couldn’t explain to them the process I used to get the correct answer! In other words, I guessed! But understand this truth – those teachers were not as interested in me having the correct answer to the problem as they were in teaching me the process to get the correct answer. In other words, if I knew the process, I would automatically know how to get the right answer to the problem! The greatest education a person gets is not so much in knowing the answer to every problem in life but knowing the process to find the answer to the problems!
As most of you know, I am “follicly challenged.” My hair turned gray and now it’s turning loose. First it parted; then it departed! The texture of the hair that remains on the top of my head is of the “fine” variety. While shopping for some shampoo the other day I picked up a bottle of Pantene shampoo. As I turned the bottle over to read the label on the back, to make sure that I was in compliance with the Hippocratic Oath that doctors take, “First, do no harm!” I was astounded to read the opening sentence, which the manufacturer had highlighted on the label. It said, “Know the hair you have to get the hair you want.” As I kinda stared at the bottle dumbfounded, I got it! I realized that getting the hair I want is a process that starts with knowing the hair I have. You have to know what you are working with. This is where the process begins.
The long division lesson is a lesson on process that deserves our attention. Process! I fear that too often we over value the end product while devaluing the process when, in reality, the process is what determines the end product.
I read a story about a man who decided to build a playhouse in the backyard for his children. He could have ordered it pre-fabricated and hired somebody to assemble it. But he decided that this would be a good learning experience for his children. So, he purchased the raw materials and on evenings and weekends he and his children would work on building the playhouse. He taught them how to use a ruler, how to drive nails by starting the nails and then letting them finish them, how to saw lumber, and how to paint. The children wanted their dad to devote every spare moment to them and working on the playhouse. And it was a tremendous experience for the children. But after the playhouse was finished, he noticed that his children didn’t spend a lot of time playing in the playhouse. As he began to ponder why, the long division effect began to come into play. He began to realize that the process, not the finished product, was the most important thing to his children. It wasn’t having the house, but building the house that gave his children an opportunity to feel as though they had contributed and were a part of something bigger than themselves. Undoubtedly, this brought a great feeling of accomplishment and self-worth to his children.
Understanding the process of problem solving – the long division process – is critically important. Yet, there is another step that is just as important – committing to the process and allowing the process to work. You see, knowledge, by itself, never solved any problem. However, knowledge coupled with a commitment to the correct process will produce the desired results.
We live in a day and time when we simply want the answers to life’s problems. And if we don’t know the answer to something, we just Google it. And presto! There is the answer. We want the quick fix! But sadly, you cannot Google the answer to every problem in life. Sometimes, you have to know and apply the long division process to the problem. But again, we want the answers without knowing or going through the process required for discovering the answer. We want the quick fix – when commitment is what is required.
- I hated learning the multiplication tables, but memorizing and applying them was the only way for me to learn how to solve mathematical multiplication problems.
- I hated learning the long division process, but it was the only way for me to learn how to solve long division problems.
- I’m not particularly fond of being bald, but it is important to me to know the correct process and product to use on follicly challenged hair so I don’t make the situation worse!
- Unlike the gentleman in the story about the playhouse, nobody in this world hates having to read the instructions to build something any more than me – but the instructions tell us the process!
The step that most of us miss in the long division process is commitment. We fail to realize that in most cases, the change process is not instantaneous. It requires commitment for the long haul to achieve the solutions we seek. And unless we include the commitment step, the answer will always be incorrect!
Almost forty years ago, in what now seems like “ … a galaxy far, far away …” I committed my life to Jesus Christ. I committed to the process of becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ. Hear what I just said, “I committed to the process.” Am I there yet? Nope! He’s still working on me. I fail often. I fail dramatically. But I remain committed to the process and I am determined to let the process work! If I know the process, commit to it, and allow it to work, the answer will always be correct!
Bro. Aaron
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