Verse #11: Not Many Should Be Teachers

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1 (NIV2011)

Churches are constantly trying to get people to serve by teaching. God is trying to talk them out of teaching. Not many of you should become teachers.  

James says that leaders will be judged more strictly. The writer of Hebrews that we who lead will give an account. “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”  Hebrews 13:17 (NIV2011)

Why then would anyone want to teach?

Because God has gifted and called you

God gifts some to teach. He calls those He gifts and He gifts those who are called. If you are gifted to teach, you will want to teach. Indeed, if you are gifted to teach, you will hardly be able to keep from teaching.

If you are gifted to teach, you will love learning. You will love to read. You will love to hang out at Barnes and Noble. You will love listening to audio books. You will love memorizing scripture.

These activities are a joy to all Christians, but none more than those whom God has called to teach.

If you are called to teach, you will love communicating truth. You will love to dream up new ways to say the same old things. We must never tinker with the age-old truth; we must constantly look for new and fresh ways to communicate it so that the learning is a joy.

Gifted teachers meditate often on Kenneth Taylor’s paraphrase of Proverbs 15.2, “A wise teacher makes learning a joy; a rebellious teacher spouts foolishness.” (The Living Bible) They long to make learning a joy. (A more straightforward translation has it, “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.”  Proverbs 15:2 HCSB)

I do all I can to make learning a joy. I try to make learning fun. I try to make it interesting. I try to spice it up with interesting videos and pictures. I try to ask thought-provoking questions. It is a thrilling challenge for me to try to make learning a joy.

I have always felt like that as long as I was going to church, I would just as soon do the talking. Perhaps you feel the same way. If so, it is a tell-tale sign that you are gifted to teach.

I heard a guy say once that he would be willing to serve on any committee as long as he got to be the chairman of the committee. Now, for some, this might be a sign of someone who was on some kind of ego-driven power trip. Or, I might be a sign of a gifting for leadership. If you would rather teach than listen to others teach, it might be a sign you are gifted to teach.

Those who teach will be judged more strictly. If you are gifted and called, I doubt you can get out of this judgement by refusing to live out your calling. In fact, I suspect the worst judgement will come to those who hide their light under a bushel. We tend to judge Peter for looking at the waves. I suspect Jesus judged the other eleven in the boat. At least Peter was in the arena.

Because you will learn more than you ever imagined

I suspect you have learned this already. It is one of the many things you love about teaching. You love teaching because it causes you to learn.

There is no better way to learn anything than to teach. If there is any particular subject that you would like to gain some expertise in, look for an opportunity to teach. Those who teach learn. If you would like to learn about the second coming or Second Corinthians, teach it. Those who teach, learn.

Would you like to improve your marriage? Teach a class on marriage. Find a good Christian book on marriage and teach it. Like to learn how to manage your finances? Same thing.

I love teaching for what it does for me. I love teaching for how it shapes my mind and heart. I can’t imagine ever willingly giving that up.

Teaching changes the way I think all week long. All week long I am preparing, I am meditating, I am considering, I am looking for illustrations. When I lie down to go to bed at night, I often the of the passage I will be teaching on next Sunday. When I watch the news, I look for illustrations. And the Grand-kids!  Don’t get me started on the Grand-kids!  What a great source of illustrative material. And, who doesn’t find interesting to hear about my Grand-kids! When I am teaching, I am constantly looking for ways to illustrate biblical truth. I love what teaching does to me.

Church would be so much more boring if I didn’t get to teach. Not that I have to teach all the time. I love listening to gifted, well-prepared, skilled teachers. But, I love to take my turn as well.

Because it is a great gift to others

Don’t you love listing to a great teacher? It gives me great joy to know that I can bring that joy to others. A wise teacher makes learning a joy, and there are few pleasures like the pleasure of learning.

Of course, if is not just the process of learning itself. All of life is better as we learn. When you teach, you make people’s lives better. You make their marriages better, you make their finances better. The laugh more and worry less. The truth sets them free.

We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. That is what teachers do—renew minds. Renewed minds put off the old self and put on the new. Renewed minds lay hold of Spirit-filled Christian living. Renewed minds are marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

What a joy you give to others when you teach effectively.

Judged more strictly? It is a price I am willing to pay for the all surpassing joy of being able to teach.