The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. Ecclesiastes 12:11-12

There’s not much more valuable than a good teacher. In our lives, the people who have brought us to where we are are those who demonstrate their care for us, show us what they have learned, and help us to be better learners. When it comes to teaching from God, there is a danger of teaching about the teaching and moving away from the root of the wisdom that he originally passed on to us.

The call is not for less teaching. It’s for better learning. Be someone who compares what you hear with what God says. Put into practice the good learning skills that the teachers you admired taught you. Go back to the roots often.

Prayer

God our Great Teacher, grant us wisdom and discernment. Help us to test the teachings that we see against the kind of person you would have us be. And help us to always remember the goal is to teach others about your ways, not about our ways. Amen.

Ethan Kirl

Originally Published July 28, 2020