Teaching to Learn

.....teachers of good things.  Titus 2:3

There is a vast difference between being a teacher and being called to teach.  We are all teachers whether we want to be or not.  I have taught this many times over.  We need to think about, mull over and acknowledge that people are indeed watching us and learning from us.  The all too real question is: just what is it we are teaching them? 
Sometimes something can seem so logical to us that we apply our knowledge to a situation only to discover we were wrong.  Just a couple of days ago I was looking for some sheet music.  I remembered placing it on the kitchen table, but where it went from there eluded me.  I searched the house over for it, but it was not to be found.  I cried out to God for help in locating it.  The thought went through my mind, "Look in your mom's box of pictures."  I refused, because there was no way in my mind that it could have gotten there.  That box is in the basement, for goodness sake!  How in the world could my music get in there?

(You know where this is going, but I'll finish anyway.)  The next day I searched the house all over again.  I asked God to help again.  There was that thought again!  "Go look in your mom's box of pictures."  I refused again, believe it or not, because there was no feasible way my music could have gotten in there.  Later that afternoon, while our oldest grandson was here watching me, not knowing what I was doing, I prayed again as I kept searching.  This time a memory of working with my mom's pictures popped into my head and the words, "Go look in your mom's picture box."  This time the words sounding rather frustrated.  Well, I finally listened (but it took the reminder of there being a "slight" possibility) and there it was, about three albums down.  I brought my music upstairs and confessed to my grandson what I had done.  I said, "Stupid, huh?"  He laughed and said, "Yeah."  I then said, "God saw me put my music in that box, didn't he?"  He had that ornery grin that says "I cannot believe what I am hearing," nodded his head and said, 'Yeah!"  with that lilt that says, "DUH!" 

We (I) have to realize and grasp on to the fact that God is all knowing and we are not.  I have to fight against pride virtually daily and this story proves it.  I had to immediately go to God and apologize for thinking myself smarter than He.  I am so thankful that He is able to look beyond my (our) faults to the blood of Jesus that keeps me clean before Him and forgive me.  All I need do is ask. 

Asking God's help and then shunning it when given due to our walking in knowledge rather than wisdom is an all too common event.  I could tell many stories on myself and I wish I could say I learned so well from them that it will never happen again.  I do learn something each time, but there is always so much more to learn that I end up doing something stupid again later. 

We will never stop learning and I mean that literally.  I believe that even in heaven we will continue to learn.  We will learn more and more about God daily.  What an exciting and exhilarating thought!!  While here on this earth, we must remember that we are not only learning, but teaching.  If we make a mistake, we must acknowledge and confess it, so that those watching our lives unfold will know that it is in doing so that we become more and more free.  If we see someone making a mistake, we need to speak up when God places the words in our hearts to do so and rescue them.  If they refuse to listen, then they are evidently needing to learn a new lesson themselves.  As hard as it is for us to watch those we love and care about go through such things, we must also remember that God the Father is the greatest Teacher of all and trust Him to get the message across.

There is an old old joke about a man who was on his roof due to a raging flood surrounding his house.  He cries out to God to rescue him.  A raft comes along and the man on it tells the man on the roof to climb aboard.  He refuses because he knows real help is on the way.  Along comes a large boat with the offer of rescue.  The man declines once again.  Along comes a helicopter, but they too are refused.  The man drowns and goes to heaven.  He goes up to God and asks, "God, I prayed for a miracle rescue.  Why didn't You rescue me?"  God's reply, "I sent a raft, a boat and a helicopter and you refused them all!"

Father, You alone are the all wise Teacher.  You are the only One from Whom we can gain wisdom and understanding.  Cultivate our hearts and make them fertile to receive Your wisdom and help us to seek it diligently with all our hearts.  May we teach as You would teach and learn the things we have need of to become master teachers for Your glory and honor.