Something I remind my oldest daughter, when her sweet-no-limit-soldier-sister tugs at her last little bit of patience, is “Teach me, don’t tell me.”

Teach. That’s a word I like.

I’m reminded often how much I don’t know and even when I think I do have a handle on something …. even something small like, say, life  for example  …. okay, kidding………even when I think I have a handle on something like, parenting, for example, something will happen to quickly remind me how little I really know.

There have been some teachable lessons for me the past few weeks, where I feel I’ve learned more from my kiddos than they have from me, and then it makes me think … am I always so teachable? I mean, I’d like to think so, but I don’t know for sure. I know that I want to learn, always, I don’t ever want to stop learning … but it just made me stop and kind of examine myself.

Oh, the answer is yes, by the way.

In a word: cooking

The answer is cooking (and math, get out of here with that unless you’re putting the alphabet back where it belongs). I’m really not teachable in cooking. Hey, I know the Lord is perfect but that’s not a gift I was given, and to make myself feel better I tell myself there’s just so much awesomeness in my personality….that it really wouldn’t be fair if I could cook, too. Nobody with this great of a sense of humor should be able to bake dinner without burning it. (I’m actually not that funny, but I’m feeling the need to overcompensate somewhere … my cooking is a problem. I’ve spent the majority of my adult life keeping the cereal industry in business. They’re welcome.)

But if we’re going to get down to it … How teachable are you?

If there are areas in your life that you’re struggling with, what holds you back from learning? I know for me that one is fear. I know that sounds really dumb but that’s one for me: fear. Let me give an example. I have something called “brain fog”. Laugh, it’s a real thing. I don’t mean the typical memory fog that everyone one of us women gets after childbirth that the doctors lie to us and tells us will go away a few months postpartum (those liars, bunch of liars!) that never does, it’s worse – it’s from a medical condition. I actually forget stuff that I never thought I would. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I can’t even remember scripture sometimes. I know that this can be an issue for a lot of people because the enemy tries to steal from us. But sometimes I’m scared to even try to memorize anymore just because I’m going to forget more – which ends up being the propellant sending me into reading – because the Lord reminds me that it’s okay to be scared of stuff, no matter how mundane or silly or stupid it sounds – because fear has no authority. Not here; I just have to be careful to remember to focus my attention back on Him so I don’t let that unhealthy fear creep in and risk falling captive to lies of the enemy. Because I do. Because I falter.

If you’re struggling with being teachable today. Stop.

First, give yourself grace starting today if you haven’t been very teachable lately. Grace is important and today is a new day, so let it be.

The Bible tells us that we need to be humble, pray, and seek Him and His wisdom (read the Word).

We’re teachable when we TRY! Trust me when I say that I’ve struggled with comparison for a while, especially when I stand in a room of people I love (family/friends) and I’m the one. You know the one? Yes, I am the one. The college drop-out. I didn’t drop-out because I couldn’t handle the work; life changes. But I never went back and got my degree and when I think about being “the one”, the 1 in 1,000, in my crew that doesn’t have that college degree – there are definitely thoughts I shouldn’t give time to but I do. But just because I didn’t go back to college doesn’t mean I stopped learning; and you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to be teachable; you just have to have the desire to learn and grow and then the application; to learn, grow, and apply what you learn. (Trust me, my husband got his college degree over twenty years ago and sometimes I’m like seriously, you’re the one that graduated and not me? Haha)

Proverbs tell us if we want to be teachable that we need to be humble. I know it’s important that we have self-examination (reflection) regularly and ask the Lord to show us areas where we might need to learn and grow but we also need to beware of what areas of our lives we struggle with and be open to correction and pursue wisdom with all of our hearts. The one true source, our ultimate source, for truth (and wisdom) is the Holy Bible. That’s that. But we have other tools to help us grow in our walk; if we’re teachable we’re willing to access and use those tools He’s made available to us. Daily devotionals (our Pastor provides one called The Daily Manna), quiet time with the Lord (in prayer and Bible reading), Bible studies, growth groups, personal mentors, corporate worship, memorizing scriptures, Secret Church videos, podcasts, etc. There are so many great tools for expanding our knowledge. I know this post kind of went in one direction, but really it’s important to be teachable in all things. I challenge you today, to be teachable. I challenge you to learn something new today … whether it’s picking scripture to memorize that you haven’t before or picking a topic you don’t know anything much about and learning about it … whether it’s another country, a health condition, an animal, a political matter, a Bible story, a type of plant, etc. Learn something today. . . and if you have the time, teach someone something they may not know too. . . and … Say a good word for Jesus.

“Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.”

Proverbs 9:9

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

Romans 15:4

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach.”

Romans 12:6-7

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

2 Timothy 3:16

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Colossians 3:16

^“Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.”

Exodus 18:20

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8

“Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.”

Proverbs  4:13

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”

Proverbs 4:7-9