2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB) All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Hebrews 5;12 (AB) For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food.
When I was a brand-spanking newfangled creation, having only known the Lord briefly, God spoon fed Scripture to me. I would desire some answer, flip the Bible open and land on what I needed. You know, it was kind of like a baby holding on to its Papa’s fingers to walk. It wasn’t long though until ‘Papa God’
taught me the importance of feeding myself.
Lesson One happened when I first attended a ladies Bible study. I had just, for the first time ever, started reading a book of the Bible shortly before. The book I selected was Job. I focused on the beginning and end, while skipping some of the middle. It just so happened that the Bible study I visited was built on a
book about healing written by some man. Based on his teaching, the woman leading the study was warning another woman regarding lack of faith, since she had not experienced healing. The student was broken; in tears and feeling like a failure. I brought what I had read in Job to the attention of the group.
The leader used one verse from Job. quite out of context, to reprove me. Though what this instructor taught stood out like a neon red flag to me, I did not have the biblical knowledge necessary to respond. I was so troubled by the incident that I immediately reread Job entirely, then read through the rest of the
Bible in the next three months. There was a lot in it that I did not understand the first time through, but my understanding continued to develop with subsequent reading. What if I had been prepared with a thorough working knowledge of the Word that day? How would sharing biblical truth have encouraged rather than disheartened the woman who already suffered so? Can I say here, there is a huge difference between a Bible study that studies the Bible and one that studies the spiritual fads of the day.
There are a couple things that have stood out in my mind regarding teaching the Word of God. I am not specifically addressing the ones about whom it is said, “He gave some to be teachers…” (those who God uses to teach consistently for a season or a lifetime). I am referring in particular to all of us who have a responsibility to study God’s Word and teach others as the occasion arises. For one thing, we must prepare our hearts daily; to be ready in season and out of season, as the saying goes. Secondly, bear in mind the words of Jesus in John 7:18 (AB) “…But He who seeks the glory and is eager for the honor of Him who sent Him, He is true…” Jesus spoke this and more about Himself in this passage, but remember, we are supposed to follow His example. Motive is extremely important.
Let me add one more thing. Let’s not shirk our work. Just because we are not teachers, preachers, healers, evangelists, etc. does not mean that God will never use us in such a manner on occasion. Don’t always expect certain somebodies to carry the entire load themselves. We just need to be available, prepared, pure in our motives (watch this one closely!) and understand that it is God who is at the helm. It isn’t us, so we should not fear to be used by Him.