James 3:1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
This is one of the verses in the Bible that causes me to pause each time I read it. It takes my breath away because of the weightiness of it. Not only am I a college professor, but I teach the Word of God every week. The significance of what I do is not lost on me. The fact that I’m going to be judged more strictly because of my vocation makes me spend more time in study, more time in prayer, and more time listening to other teachers. I want to get it right every time. And lest you think this post doesn’t apply to you, listen to the biblical definition of a teacher:
A teacher is one who instructs others by imparting skills or knowledge.
Have you ever instructed someone else? About anything? Do you have kids around that look to you for skills and knowledge? Right not, we are teaching our youngest how to use a spoon and fork. A simple task that most adults don’t give a second thought to. We just do it. But trying to teach someone how to pick up a spoon without spilling the soup, not an easy task! But what about the weightier matters? How do you teach a kid how to discern the voice of God? How do you teach a kid the importance of always telling the truth, regardless of what your friends are doing? Of course, the best lesson plan is modeling. You must set the example in word, thought, and deed.
Do you see how important it is to be a good teacher?
You can also start to see why teachers are judged more strictly.
Some questions to consider:
-When you teach, are you giving it your best?
-Does the idea of stricter judgment scare you?
-What can you do to encourage the teachers in your life?
Scott Maxon 