Every Good Teacher was a Student First

"... if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? ... You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Romans 2:17-24

I've posted this passage on TDS before and studied it in terms of hypocrisy... but today this passage had new meaning for me. Today this passage spoke to me in terms of my desire to be a witness for Christ. I have this deep desire to live for Christ... to live a Christian life on a daily basis... to teach others about my faith. And yet, this passage made me stop and reflect... am I ready to teach others? 

As a student teacher I've gone through rigorous training and education to get to the point where I am trusted with a class full of young minds. I had to go through five years of post secondary education, three practicums, and numerous evaluations. Despite all of this training and apprenticeship there are still days when I feel pitifully unprepared for my duties as a full-fledged, certified teacher.

And yet... I feel like I should be going out and teaching the masses about Christ without any formal training? To be the voice on the most important Lesson there is? 

Now, I'm not saying that every Christian needs to go out and get a doctorate in theology before they should open their mouths to teach a friend about their faith. However, I think that I have made the mistake of neglecting my "soul education" and attempting to skip right ahead to teaching others. 

I need to make sure that I have the proper "certification" before I start teaching others. To be a "certified" Christian, I need to make sure that I've been receiving my education from God: apprenticing under Christ and listening to the evaluations of the Holy Spirit. If  I ignore the teachings of my Professor, I will fail miserably in trying to teach it to others. If I brush off the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I'll find myself headed in the wrong direction very quickly. 

I am eager to lead and teach... but eagerness without training is a recipe for failure. I remember the very first day I stood in front of a class of students as their student "teacher". I had very little training. It was my first year of college. I was eager--oh-so eager--but I fell flat on my face. I fumbled through the lesson, I jumbled my words and by the end of it I had students staring back at me with very confused looks on their faces... a few even scoffed at me. 

If I try to take the lead and teach people about my faith without being "certified" by the Spirit, I'm only going to confuse people (at best) and push people away (at worst). I need to take a step back and make sure that I've been a good student---intent, reflective, and teachable. 

God,

Teach me. 

Spirit,

Certify me.

Christ,

Mentor me.

Amen. 

"...do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

Matthew 10:19-20

"...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Acts 4:31