The greatest goal of any teacher is to instill in his/her students the desire to learn. The greatest skill a teacher can give his/her students is how to learn. We are students for life. Many of us thought the learning was over with graduation at any level but we soon discovered that every day is a classroom and if we understand, accept and apply ourselves, we will enjoy the adventure. But if we decide that we no longer need to learn, life will become a very complicated thing filled with many struggles.
As Christians we should grasp this understanding wholeheartedly. We are students of the Holy Spirit. Every day is a classroom where we get to put into practice what we have received in theory. Our Teacher is with us all day long to apply practical lessons, so we can learn and grow. The purpose is for us to grow and mature which involves, theory, practical, correction and encouragement. It starts in one place though:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
It begins in a proper relationship with Yahweh. It begins with the understanding that he is the Teacher and we are the students. That is a healthy place, a respectful place, a place of understanding authority. If we have a healthy fear of Father it means we will respect his instructions. Many of us consider them suggestions but his instructions are commandments. Some people get offended at the thought of being commanded to do anything but that is because they are spiritually immature, do not understand the love of Father, and have yet to discover they are not a boss but a pupil.
Note though that the fear of the Lord is the beginning. It is a starting place. Just like the cross is the starting place for our relationship with Jesus. Past the cross is the resurrection and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. It is a progression. But from this humble position our knowledge and understanding grow. We spend far too much time doubting, criticizing, complaining and rebelling against the Teacher. These are not attitudes that permit an atmosphere of healthy learning. These are marks of distrust and if we do not trust our Teacher we will not be able to learn from our Teacher.
The lessons we receive from Yahweh are far more important and often more difficult than any we will learn in our formal schooling. These are life lessons meant to shape us for eternity. They include humility and service to others. We have an excellent Teacher who examines our weaknesses and puts us in places and situations to deal with those weaknesses, so they are exposed and overcome. Not always a pleasant experience but always to our benefit.
People get in trouble when they think that choosing Jesus is going to make everything easier and that he will resolve all our problems. Our walk with him is not easy but it makes everything better as he teaches us by using our problems to grow us spiritually. It is a challenging classroom but our Teacher is always present to lend us exactly what we need in the moment. Don't give up and do keep your heart humble and your perspective that of a pupil. Every day he is moving us closer to the goal; eternity is almost at hand. Keep running the race to grab hold of that prize. Submit to the Teacher and the lessons for today and you will be surprised by the joy you have in doing it.
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