Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. – James 3:1
I know that not every leader is a teacher, but every teacher is a leader.
School teachers are leaders to classrooms full of students.
Sunday school teachers are leaders to young Christians.
Small group leaders lead people in discussions and authentic relationships.
Preachers are leaders of congregations.
When we teach, we’re leaders because we are shaping the minds and actions of those we’re teaching. James understood this influence and warns those who teach to take it seriously because they are held to stricter standards.
I’ve read James 3:1 before but, as I was going over it again, it really stuck out to me or struck something within me. Jesus saved some pretty choice words for the Pharisees who were leading the people astray; I can’t imagine Jesus taking any kinder to a teacher leading people astray today. Strict judgment also seems to wait for teachers who live lives that don’t reflect what they teach. These teachers may not intentionally lead people astray, but eventually their unaligned lives could have an unintended impact. Teachers have a tremendous amount of influence but are also given a tremendous amount of trust. If that trust is ever broken, influence will give way to disillusionment and learners will begin to go astray. Teaching is serious business, which is why James says not many should presume to be teachers.
So here am I, presuming to be a teacher. We know what assuming does; does presuming do the same thing? And if not for you, does it still do it for me? Who am I to presume that I should be teaching anyone? This week alone I’ve led small groups, taught high school and junior high students, and I am planning for a sermon to our church’s main congregation. Who am I to teach that many people?
The answer is that I’m nobody. Nobody at all.
Yet I feel like I’ve been called by God to teach and that calling has been affirmed by a number of strong Christ-followers whom I implicitly trust. That may seem presumptuous but I have faith that it’s not. I have faith that it’s God’s calling, not my presuming. Yet, if I accidentally presume too much, I can always trust in grace.
How presumptuous is it to think that we can teach?
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3 years ago
Not presumptuous at all for the teacher who especially sees themselves as the distributor rather than the manufacturer. Quote from our pastor, Jon Courson, referring to believers in general. It is God's work and God's Word afterall, right? Alicia
ReplyDelete@Alicia: I think that's the key. Realizing that God is the source and those who teach are just the channel.
ReplyDeleteThere's never anything presumptuous about answering God's call. When he wants ya to do something, ya gotta do it! Of course, thinking more highly of yourself than you should and not giving God the glory, is more than presumptuous, it can be dangerous.
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