Good morning! Today is Thursday, June 9th, 2022. How teachable are you? How much do you care about God using you? Do you want to play a part in His overall plan? Then you’ll need to study, research, train, and be tested. However, if you want to just sing in the shower, you really don’t need voice lessons. But if you’re going to sing before crowds or in a skilled choir, you will need training. Singing in the shower will never make you a great vocalist… it’ll just make you a clean one. Read on …
Today's Reading:
Ecclesiastes 10,11,12; Psalms 94; Ephesians 5
Scripture
“In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd” -Ecclesiastes 12:9-11
Observation
Solomon describes a preacher as one who sought, studied, and researched… to find “delightful words” and write them correctly. If these correctly written words are fitly communicated, they will inspire, correct, and prod people forward. A preacher must develop the skill of communicating in such a way that the Word of God comes alive, and God uses it to heal and transform.
Application
Personally speaking, I must do my best to take truths that are difficult to comprehend, then try to communicate them in delightful ways to highlight God’s intent. I can pave the tarmac and usher people—through teaching, parables and metaphors—but it is God by His Holy Spirit that does the transforming.
So as I progress, I must be willing to be coached, corrected, trained, and tested. If not, I can easily slide, little by little, and become a legend … in my own mind. That’s when pride begins to leach in, and I can become blinded by my success and will not see the line between “appropriate” and “self-promoting.” The line between “holy” and “hellish” can be very thin. A leader’s heart must, at times, be brutally honest with oneself. Not every leader can pass this test.
Therefore, I must take the time to develop and refine my gifts, for gifts are firstly given in seed form. I want to be a positive part of God’s bigger picture, so I must be well-trained.
For example, if you are a great backroom musician who plays only by ear, that’s fine — but if you were suddenly placed amid an orchestra with scores of notated music, you’d be lost. For that, you must train and be coached.
The Body of Christ is like an orchestra, and Jesus is the Great Conductor. If I am not trained and coachable, I can damage the body of Christ. Besides, we already have way too many sand-lot prophets and backroom theologians!
Prayer
Father, our gifts need to be developed, and if we want to be used by You, we must be coachable and willing to be trained. The Body of Christ is so precious, and I know I have a part, but I cannot just “wing it.” Train me, so I am always on time under the Conductor’s baton.
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