Great Privilege

Last week we looked at learning the hard way and finished off talking about remaining teachable. What does that mean “to remain teachable”? It means we stay humble. We are not closed off to hearing from God in any way He chooses to speak to us. That means, we are quick to course correct whatever needs to be corrected when Holy Spirit shows us the way to do it. To do the opposite is to operate in pride.

Pride says, “Nobody tells me what to do.” Humility says, “I don’t have all the answers, and I am happy to learn.” Pride says, “This is how I’ve always done it.” Humility says, “God, I am sorry. I did not realise that was wrong. Help me to do things Your way.” We want to be humble people who, like Jesus, do the will of the Father.

James 4:6 says, “…For it says, “God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.”” In a different translation it says, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”” 

What makes us unteachable? Pride. It comes out like, “I’ve got this.” “I know what to do.” “I’m gonna do me.” “I don’t need help from anyone.” “I don’t want to depend on anyone.” Or otherwise, my personal favourite and only because it’s funny in my head, “I’m gonna go see for myself.” So, when we are in that unteachable place that only pride can lead us to, God opposes us. He resists us. Those are active words not passive words. If you (whose power is limited and has been given to you by God) go into a power struggle with God (who is omnipotent and the holder of all power) God always wins.

So, if you are in a place where you feel like you are winning against God, pride has lured you into a place of false security because the day will come when every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, Philippians 2:10-11. The word “Lord” in that verse is the Greek word “kurios” which means “he to whom a person or thing belong, about which he has the power of deciding.” It also means, “the possessor and disposer of a thing; which is the owner – one who has control of the person.” This is all from the Strongs Concordance, G2962.

“Lord” in Philippians 2:10-11 is a strong word, a final realisation that God is God and we are created beings. When we come to that realisation that Jesus is Lord, I pray it is with awe and wonder and not fear and trepidation because we have lived life being prideful and unteachable.

John 14:26 says this, “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” How wonderful that we have Holy Spirit who walks with us daily to teach us God’s ways, but only if we let Him.

Don’t skip class, stay at the feet of the Teacher. When Mary did this, the Bible says in Luke 10:42, “Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at My feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.”

It is a privilege to sit at the feet of Jesus and be taught by God how to do life. How do we do this practically? By reading our Bible, by being planted in a good Bible based church with godly leaders who hear from God and by putting into action what we are learning. To the extent to which you are willing to implement the word of God in your life, is the extent to which the word will work in your life. Minimal effort yields little or no results. We experienced this in school. However, when we give it all we got, we begin to see change as our lives are shaped by the truth of God’s word. 

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.