A Time to Teach

A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40

A student was showing me some of his drawings this past week that were absolutely wonderful. He told me his uncle had taught him how to draw. His face truly glowed when he said, “My uncle told me that in another couple of months I’ll probably be as good as him.”
My response was, “You know, there is a proverb that says when a student is fully trained he will be like his teacher.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I was convicted by my own statement. If my job is to teach, shouldn’t I have the knowledge and experience necessary in order to teach? Of course I should. That’s why I spend countless hours each year going to in-services and workshops that the school district sends me to and reading, studying, and researching on my own. I want to be an effective teacher. In a sense, I am trying to teach my students everything I know about reading and writing. I’m giving them the skills to be like me.
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations….teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20. How can I possibly teach other people to obey everything Jesus has commanded if I don’t prepare myself first? As the body of Christ, we should be actively studying, learning, and preparing ourselves in such a way that we can instruct others in the ways of the Lord. There is no way you can make disciples unless you, yourself, are a student of the Lord.
Now, in order to be a student of the Lord, you can’t limit your learning to what you get at church. After all, I “studied” math by sitting and listening in a classroom for about twelve years. I even passed all of those math classes. But, I guarantee you , I am not a “student” of math. I know the basics of math…just enough to help me figure out discounts at the store and how much carpet I need to cover the floor in a room, but I don’t know math. Likewise, if all of our spiritual knowledge comes from sermons, we will not have the wisdom and understanding that the scriptures command us repeatedly to gain. We may acquire a basic knowledge, but we won’t truly know the Lord or his teachings. A good teacher never stops being a student. As long as we draw breath, there will always be more to learn about the Lord. A priority for us as teachers of faith should be to instill a passion for studying and learning; growing and maturing. If the fully trained student will be like his teacher, that means he must see the passion in us, or he will never have it himself.
I believe the “great commission” is given to all believers. We are all responsible for teaching others how to be disciples of Christ and to obey everything he has commanded. Therefore, we owe it to God, to ourselves, and to everyone we will ever have the opportunity to teach to make sure that we, ourselves, are constantly growing and maturing in our knowledge and understanding of the Lord’s commands. It won’t just happen. We must immerse ourselves in the Word daily.
You may not see yourself as a teacher, but I assure you that you will come in contact with people this week who have never set foot in a church building. The vast majority of the Lord’s teachers look remarkably like ordinary people. The way we live and act in public demonstrates our true beliefs. In fact, unless the Lord’s disciples live daily as disciples, the world will never see a difference between themselves and us. What will people learn about the Lord when they watch you this week? Train them well.

…Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Tim 4:8.

An Awesome God

When was the last time God acted in a way you totally did not expect? For generations, even to the beginning of time, man has presumed to know exactly how God should and would work in every situation. Unfortunately, our minds cannot even begin to fathom the extent of God’s power. As a result, we force God and his infinite might into a restrictive box. We, the created, limit God, the creator. How absurd is that?
In Joshua 10, the story is told of the Israelites fighting the Amorites. Joshua said to the Lord, “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the valley of Abijalon.” The next verse says, “The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel.” Joshua 10:12-14. What if Joshua had not believed that God could or would do something he had never done before?
Has God stopped being God? Does he still fight on the behalf of his redeemed? Can we still expect him to perform supernatural feats so that we, his people, can have victory? The word of God reminds us of what God is capable of and willing to do. Our faith needs to go beyond what we know God can do—what he’s done before in our sight and experience—and trust him to do something wonderful and new.
The scriptures tell us that Jesus could not do any miracles in his hometown because the people lacked faith. Throughout the Bible, we read about God’s desire to give us victory in every area of our lives. Regardless of what we might like to believe, however, man never gains the victory on his own, but “He holds victory in store for the upright. Pr 2:7; The Lord gave David victory. 1 Chron 18:6; The Lord gives us victory over our enemies. Ps 44:7; Victory rests with the Lord. Pr 21:31; and God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 15:57.
Does victory always come in the same prescribed way? Absolutely not. Isaiah said to the Lord, “For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.” Is 64:3-5.
Remember Joshua, and allow God to move in wonderful and mighty ways. Take it one step further and, like Joshua, ask God to do awesome things in your life. And then don’t be surprised or give credit to the “god” of circumstance, coincidence, medical science, or man’s wisdom when the Lord does something amazing in your sight. He is, after all, Jehovah El Elyon, the Most High God.

Babies growing up

What a weekend! My baby girl turned 23 on Saturday. I know it's such an overused cliche, but it really doesn't seem like we have been together that long. Time sure flies. I am so proud of both of my kids, their spouses, and their babies. We are getting so close to celebrating two first birthdays. Now that's incredible! We went Sunday afternoon to have family portraits made--all 8 of us!! What a feat. I can't wait to see the pics. We'll get to see David, Ashley, and Noah Friday evening. I'm really excited that we will get to babysit Noah while Dave and Ash go on a date. I just call that my contribution to maintaining healthy marriages...that's the official "sound good" reason. Of course, there is always that "I can't believe this is my very own grandson, and he's gonna play at my house!" thing too. Life is good, God is great, and I am blessed.

All the Parts Make a Whole

Have you ever heard the story about the seven blind men and the elephant? Each man touched one part of the elephant and then concluded what an elephant was like. The first touched an ear and said an elephant was like a great fan. One touched the tail and argued that an elephant was like a rope. As each man touched a different part, he became fully convinced in his mind that he knew exactly what an elephant was like based on his own personal experience. Each was partially right, but no one was totally right.
Now those of us who have actually seen an elephant know and understand that an elephant is the sum of all those parts. We can see the big picture—the whole picture. What if those seven men could come together as a community and share their perspectives? Don’t you think that is an important part of why God puts us into a community? None of us has everything figured out in the scriptures, but when we come together, we can share and discuss those things we have discovered. As each person shares his understanding and perspective on God’s word, we are all edified and built up in the faith. If someone presents an idea we have never considered before, we can take that opportunity to delve into the Word and search for ourselves just as the Bereans were known to do.
Is it possible that a scripture could have more than one meaning or correct interpretation? Take the verse in Matthew 11:29. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” All of my Christian life I have heard that explained using the concept of a yoke and oxen. Many have said that if we yoke ourselves with Christ, he will help carry our burden which will result in rest for our souls. That following him will not weigh us down, and that he will, in fact, keep us on the right path.
Recently, I have heard that in Biblical times, in which Jesus lived and taught, each Rabbi was said to have a yoke. His yoke was what he considered to be the greatest commandment because it determined how he would interpret the scriptures for himself and for his students. Some thought the greatest commandment was “Keep the Sabbath holy.” As such, these were the men who found fault with Jesus healing on the Sabbath. They were also the ones who created various restrictions and placed them on others to be sure that the Sabbath was not violated. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Now, which interpretation of the yoke is correct? What if they both are? And what if there is yet another facet to that verse that we have not yet discovered? When it comes to understanding the scriptures, is it possible that we are sometimes like the seven blind men? Do we ever think our interpretation is the only right interpretation and thus, limit our ability to learn more? Jesus said, “Consider carefully what you hear.” Until everything in God’s word is disclosed and we have a complete understanding, we need to search and study to show ourselves approved. My prayer is that as a community of believers we can continue to sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron.

Mia

Happy New Year!!

Don’t you just love new years? You have an opportunity to look back on the previous year and evaluate successes and failures, strengths and weaknesses. And then, make changes for the better.
Now before you think I’ve totally lost my mind for talking about new years in August, let me just say that for parents, students, and school personnel, tomorrow begins a new year. And, I have to admit that I felt a twinge of excitement as I moved all of my equipment and supplies to a new classroom and got everything set up and ready to go.
This year, I have a new room, new curriculum, new students, and new challenges. With everything being new, I began thinking about a “new year’s resolution.” At one point during my musings, I remember thinking how sad it is that other people, in other walks of life, don’t get a regular fresh start like those of us in the educational realm. Then I remembered the verse in Lamentations 3:23, “Your mercies are new every morning.”
In other words, we don’t have to wait until the start of a new year or even the start of a new week before we resolve to make a change. Every breath you draw is an opportunity to start fresh—to begin again.
We are commanded to be made new in the attitude of our minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:23-24). The words “put on” are the same words used to describe the action of getting dressed. So, just as each day you put on your clothing, each day you should also put on your new self which was created to be like God. And, in the same way that you remove a dirty shirt and put on a fresh, clean one when you notice the filth, as you walk your life and realize from time to time that your “self” has become soiled with the thoughts and actions of this present age, strip it off and start fresh. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Ro. 12:2.
It is by the grace of God we have the privilege to start over, but it needs to be immediate. Too often, however, we live in the land of mañana…tomorrow…next week…on my birthday…on January 1st…and the change never happens. The scripture says, “Today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). There is no better time than the present to make a change. After all, which of us is guaranteed tomorrow? Today is an important day to God. There are numerous admonitions in the scriptures regarding today:
Choose you today whom you will serve.
You have been set apart to the Lord today.
Obey what I command you today.
You are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God.
Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
So, happy new year, happy new life, happy today. What changes will you make today as you strive to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect? Remember, we were created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Journey of the Feet or of the Seat?

What an amazing summer! I saw the world's top ten beaches...sort of. Theoretically, I saw them, but not in actuality. The truth is I sat in my recliner one Saturday afternoon as the Travel Channel took me on a whirlwind tour. I was able to see the beaches, but I could not truly experience them. I could only look where the camera looked. I could only hear what the microphone picked up. The taste, smell, and feel of those beaches were out of my reach. Now, I could say that I have seen the world's best beaches, but I would be deceiving myself. If I rely on someone else to make the trip, he can give me the facts, but he cannot give me the experience. His journey can never impact me in the same way it did him.
It didn't occur to me how much I was missing until they did a story on Playa del Carmen. I have physically been to that beach. While I was there, I parasailed, laid in a hammock that was tied between two palm trees, and watched the monkeys, iguanas, and other cretures frolicking about. I was appalled that the things I enjoyed so much about that beach were not even mentioned in the show. It made me wonder what I missed out on in their coverage of the other beaches.
Sadly, some people build a relationship with God in pretty much the same way. They are content to allow someone else to do the work and then present God to them in a clean, neat package. Their knowledge of God is second-hand; they have never experienced him for themselves. They think they know God, but their knowledge of him is like my knowledge of those beaches...superficial. There is so much more to see, know, and experience. And yet, whether in ignorance, complacency, or apathy, these folks are not interested in putting forth the effort to grow.
The Hebrew people believe that true learning involves action. James 1:22 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Throughout the scriptures we are commanded to "walk in his ways," and to "give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord." We must commit ourselves to God. In order to do that, we have to move--walk in his steps, study every day, and purify ourselves just as he is pure (1 Jn 3:3). We cannot sit there and expect growth to just happen. Following God is not a journey of the seat. It is, however, a journey of the feet. Get up and go. Seek God with all your heart. Though it cost everything you have, get wisdom. It's time to get off the seat and get onto the feet. May God bless your journey.