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October 15, 2005
Teachable...by whom?
We all want to learn and grow in our faith, but here's a pitfall, in the words of Beth Moore: “Our teachability most often depends on our teacher. If we respect the teacher, we might accept the teaching. If we don’t, we dump it.” More accurately, our teachability depends on our perception of our teacher.
How many of us would rush to church if we saw an announcement that the apostle Paul was the guest speaker? Standing room only, right? But if Paul walked into our church unannounced and anonymous, how many would listen to him? Remember, tradition tells us that Paul was a slightly built, scrawny guy with a head several sizes too big. And he had a bad speaking voice, and probably eye problems, so that he couldn’t see well. The bottom line is, in our charisma-driven society, Paul would never make it. And yet, think of our loss by not hearing him.
If we were asked whether we could accept it if God told us something new, the answer would almost certainly be yes. And if the “teacher” was someone like Moses? Again yes. And even if it was Paul, with his charisma problem, we might still agree to listen. What if it was Avi, the writer of these words? To be honest, he isn’t all that charismatic, either. Here it gets tougher, but some might still say yes. But now, what if it was someone whom you consider less mature than you, or less educated, or less spiritual, perhaps less attractive? Someone that you might even look down on, just a little? Could someone we think of as a nobody help us hear from God and know him better? That’s a teachable spirit.
Posted by Larry Baden at October 15, 2005 07:32 PM
Comments
For me, there are a couple of tests that apply before I listen to a teaching: 1) Is it Biblical? 2) Do I have a witness? and 3) Does the person's life reflect a mature Christian walk? At least two of these three witnesses have to agree before I will seriously consider a teaching, and if the answers to 2 and 3 are yes, but 1 is CLEARLY no, forget it, and I need to re-examine my own thinking too. LOL.
L
Posted by: LKH at October 19, 2005 01:57 PM
what if jesus was here among us now would there be any faithful still alive that would reconize him would we as a church body listen to him or would we be skeptical and crucify him once again although that couldnt happen but would we welcome him and have faith enough to beleive him for he said when i DO return will there be any faithful left or is it all hoopla god bless you my friend and be constantly on the look out for he is here
Posted by: darwin at October 24, 2005 05:33 PM
I love the way you people take myths and try to make the idiots on our planet believe they are true!
Posted by: tom gray at October 26, 2005 10:07 AM
