Teachable…?
There’s an old story of a young man seeking the wisdom of the ages. He had heard of an old wiseman who lived in the remotest part of the mountains. One famed to have all the answers to all of life’s questions. The young man searched for months and finally came upon him in a small hut. On arrival the young man was warmly welcomed and invited to sit down for tea. The young man talked incessantly and the old wiseman listened with care. The old man put a cup in front of the young man and started pouring the tea. The young man, still in full flight of discourse, signalled that it was enough. But the old man kept pouring. The tea went over the rim of the cup and quickly ran along the table toward the young man. Jumping up, just before it poured onto his lap, he looked at the old man and said with disgust, “You know, I travelled for months to find you. They said you were the wisest man alive. But look at this mess…this is the doings of a fool!” The old man stared back at the young man and said, “You came looking for wisdom, but all you’ve done is talk about yourself. You are like that cup. You are so full that you have no room for anything to be added.”There are fewer insults worse than being called unteachable to your face. But worse still is for others to think it without ever confronting you with the truth. A thing that ruins your work for Jesus.If we are not careful, all of this will sound unkind and unfixable. But hear me out.The unteachable in conversation is unbearable. The poor Christian listening will have to be abundantly endowed with the virtue of patience. Given long enough, their patience will be so stretched, that it will have to be upgraded to ‘Endurance Class.’Eventually, the ‘victim’ realizes that anything he says is just an unwelcome appendage to the offenders monolog. Creative thought becomes redundant and boredom sets in.Instead of avoiding the unteachable (this can be easier said than done) we must set a Christ-ward trajectory.Firstly, keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is alive and well. He still convicts hearts. He sees potential beyond your despair.Secondly, honour your duty to the souls of all men. Pray for them and seek their salvation. This especially applies to the unteachable. If no one can tell them anything this side of heaven, then tragically it is doubtful that they will enter heaven at all. We strive for better things.Finally, Christians are bold and resourceful. Not prone to be put off by those who want to be the centre of attention. We seek for ways that include ALL. Beware the trap: Know-it-alls love to waste your time on themselves—Don’t let them!John StaigerIf you have been blessed by this message, please feel free to: Like, Comment or Share it with your friends. (308)
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