Be Teachable

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 26:12 (NIV)

To be wise in your own eyes is to be arrogant, unteachable, unapproachable, prideful. To break us of these tendencies, let’s look at a life well lived: Stephen, in the book of Acts. Did you know that 75 percent of the Bible is stories? God teaches us principles and lessons, then he illustrates them through the lives of people.

The book of Acts is the account of the early church. Just like today, problems occurred. Widows in the church were neglected. Who would take care of them? “So the Twelve called a meeting. . . . They said, ‘We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected . . . full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.’ . . . Everyone liked this idea, and they chose . . . Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)” (Acts 6:2-5).

What makes this story so appealing? Indeed, at this critical time in church history the key leaders needed to be faithful to their calling. Their decision to choose spiritual men for the lowly job of serving tables defined true kingdom ministry from then on. J. Oswald Sanders noted, “All workers must be Spirit-led and filled. Selection of kingdom leaders must not be influenced by worldly wisdom, wealth, or social status. The prime consideration is spirituality.”

Stephen was a young man who was not too arrogant or too important to minister to little old ladies. In fact, he probably learned a thing or two about trust and the faithfulness of God from a few of them.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Oh, to be teachable and flexible! I want to be growing and learning to my dying day, don’t you? I’m learning Spanish. When I make mistakes, people correct me. It’s humbling, but it helps me learn. Actually people love to be helpful, and it’s good to be on the receiving end. Let me challenge you. Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? Is there a book in the Bible you’ve wanted to study, but haven’t? Would you like to learn to share your faith or learn sign language? Be teachable. There’s no time like the present.

One Year Bible Reading

Jeremiah 48:1–49:22; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Psalm 95:1–96:13; Proverbs 26:9-12