James 3:1-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

Every now and then I like to read the amplified version of the bible. This is one of those cases. Those of us with children are all teachers whether we are qualified or not. Over the years I have discovered, in some cases, that the most unruly children are children of pastors. That is not a condemnation of pastors. It is a cautionary tale that not all pastors make good teachers.

My father suffered PTSD and my mother suffered Asperger’s Syndrome. They were good parents but had no skills whatsoever concerning teaching.

My father’s skill set was hunting, fishing, maintenance and work ethic. My mother’s skill set was cooking and cleaning. I grew up observing those correct behaviors.

What was missing? Well it turns out I didn’t know what I was missing that would have made my life better until much later in life.

During my PTSD training I discovered my parents could not give me what they did not possess themselves.

Herein is the lesson of the necessity of accountability in teachers. They cannot teach what they do not possess. This is why the church should examine the qualifications of those who would be placed in a position of teaching bible doctrine. It is too important to let the unqualified teach our members, children or adults.

They must have the right stuff in them in order to give it to others.

Now I am thinking about the movie The Right Stuff. Those astronauts went through the most rigorous testing before they were trained to be astronauts. And that was just to go to the moon. Eternal salvation was not at stake.

False Teachers and True Contentment

Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Paul’s letter to Timothy is loaded with an abundance of information.

Has my Lord Jesus Christ ever said anything to me that is not written in the bible? Yes He has but those things He has said to me are not a teachable moment. They were personal corrections about unacceptable behaviors. Is it possible that others might make the same mistakes that I have made? Sure but confession of condition is not a teachable moment.

Are there things in this reading that I believe others are guilty of committing against sound doctrine? Sure but I am not their conscience nor their Lord and to stand against them would cause dissension in the ranks.

The body of Christ should be about unity and not division. Paul said in verse 6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain,” What I gain by any godly action is peace with God because in those moments He does not have to chastise me.

Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Disciplines come less often but I still get disciplined, which I deserved and I embrace them. They say He loves me.

We all want to be loved. Don’t we?