Teacher?
James 3:1 “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. . . 13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Do you see what I did here? To teach requires authority and authority implies certainty. James observes, in verses 2-12, how easy it is for fleshly corruption to invade the teaching process. To prevent corruption, every teaching must be vetted by its fruit.
In my youth, my mentor often used this phrase: “Your actions speak so loud, I can’t hear your words.” I think this is exactly what he was speaking of.
Example: Ask Abraham about walking in faith. He might reply “Well, there’s not much I can say about it but there was this time when, in obedience to God, I had my knife in the air, about to stab Isaac when, at the last possible instant, He provided a ram instead. Your situation may vary but walk in faith anyway.” We would walk away from that lecture, having learned about something but not really knowing it until we lived it.
So. . . here’s our challenge in the form of a prayer:
Father, help us to teach by our actions, not just words. Quicken our hearts to hear what we’re saying, making sure that we’re living it as well.