How teachable are you?
"If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—
how shortsighted to refuse correction!"
how shortsighted to refuse correction!"
(Proverbs 12:1) MSG
This was the nicest version of the scripture I could find. Have a look at a few other versions:
"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid." (NIV)
but whoever hates correction is stupid." (NIV)
"Whoever loves instruction and correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is like a brute beast, stupid and indiscriminating." (AMP)
I love the book of Proverbs! It is full of such wisdom but can be brutally honest at times! It makes it very clear that being teachable is a wise thing to do but what does it mean to be teachable?
According to dictionary.com, teachable means that you are "capable of being instructed, as a person or capable of being taught".
As we walk through our Christian lives, it is essential that we are willing to learn from God and others. Throughout the bible, we see several people being teachable and reaping the rewards. We see Jesus' disciples being transformed into passionate teachers of the gospel by listening to His teachings and applying them. They engaged fully in the learning experience - asking questions and taking the corrections when they came.
If we want to see growth in our lives, we must be willing to be teachable. Being teachable isn't easy! It can mean that at times you have admit that you are wrong and eat humble pie. It also means that you have to be willing to face what can occasionally be the harsh truth! A big challenge in today's society is that we are supposed to act like we know everything all of the time. It seems that admitting that you don't know something is often seen as a sign of weakness rather than honesty!
But is there another side to being teachable?!
We so often hear the harsh side of being teachable - learning the hard lessons and being willing to make difficult changes. It is very common for teachability to focus on us accepting our shortcomings or weaknesses - this is absolutely true and essential as God refines us into the image He created us to be!
But I am learning that it is just as important to learn to be teachable about the good things too! How do you react when someone tells you that you are gifted in a certain area? Do you squirm with embarrassment and dismiss it? Do you make some passing comment that downplays the importance of what they have said? It is so easy to brush away praise from others because we think we're being humble BUT are we missing out on a lesson we should be learning?!
Over the past year, I have been realising that God has been trying to teach me about the gifts that He has placed within me, and I've been brushing away comments and insights that people have been sharing with me. I've failed to be teachable in this area. I know some of you have never thought of it in this way but think about it.
Being teachable is having a willingness to learn all the lessons - the good, the bad and the ugly!
So, until next time, remember to be teachable. Listen to good advice. Be willing to eat humble pie when necessary. And don't assume that all the lessons are going to be bad!
Cece
xxx
As we walk through our Christian lives, it is essential that we are willing to learn from God and others. Throughout the bible, we see several people being teachable and reaping the rewards. We see Jesus' disciples being transformed into passionate teachers of the gospel by listening to His teachings and applying them. They engaged fully in the learning experience - asking questions and taking the corrections when they came.
If we want to see growth in our lives, we must be willing to be teachable. Being teachable isn't easy! It can mean that at times you have admit that you are wrong and eat humble pie. It also means that you have to be willing to face what can occasionally be the harsh truth! A big challenge in today's society is that we are supposed to act like we know everything all of the time. It seems that admitting that you don't know something is often seen as a sign of weakness rather than honesty!
But is there another side to being teachable?!
We so often hear the harsh side of being teachable - learning the hard lessons and being willing to make difficult changes. It is very common for teachability to focus on us accepting our shortcomings or weaknesses - this is absolutely true and essential as God refines us into the image He created us to be!
But I am learning that it is just as important to learn to be teachable about the good things too! How do you react when someone tells you that you are gifted in a certain area? Do you squirm with embarrassment and dismiss it? Do you make some passing comment that downplays the importance of what they have said? It is so easy to brush away praise from others because we think we're being humble BUT are we missing out on a lesson we should be learning?!
Over the past year, I have been realising that God has been trying to teach me about the gifts that He has placed within me, and I've been brushing away comments and insights that people have been sharing with me. I've failed to be teachable in this area. I know some of you have never thought of it in this way but think about it.
Being teachable is having a willingness to learn all the lessons - the good, the bad and the ugly!
So, until next time, remember to be teachable. Listen to good advice. Be willing to eat humble pie when necessary. And don't assume that all the lessons are going to be bad!
Cece
xxx
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