A teacher’s posture

Today’s devotional is from a passage that describes Jesus instructing His disciples and then telling them to try again. They had been fishing and caught nothing, but this time they nearly sunk the boat with their catch.

Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:3–7)

As a teacher, I notice something that nearly gets lost in the drama of this narrative. Jesus asked that the boat be moved away from the shore, then sat down to teach.

Historians say that the rabbis stood respectfully during the reading of the Scriptures, and sat humbly to teach. From other passages, it seems that this was customary for Jesus also. 

This is not the custom of today. Teachers stand. At least most of them.

The posture of standing can imply superiority and control. Those who stand before us, particularly those elevated on a platform of some sort, seem larger, more authoritative. It gives both teacher and audience a sense of separation and of who is in charge.

Teaching from a sitting position happens in settings where the teacher wants to be part of the group, even part of the learning process. The students are not threatened or intimidated by a teacher who lowers himself to their level, as it were. They are more willing to enter into discussion and even more willing to listen to whatever the others have to say because the teacher is setting this example.

It may have been a custom for the rabbis, but Jesus was wise in choosing to sit. Had He stood, perhaps His voice would have carried better and He would have been more visible. Yet by sitting, the people in the crowd wanted to hear Him, so they had to stop talking among themselves and listen. To hear Him, they had to pay closer attention.

Whatever reasons Jesus had for sitting, this signals to me that He wanted them to know that He did not elevate Himself above them, even though He had every reason to do that. Instead, His posture illustrated His ministry and His attitude.

…. Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5–8)

Sitting while I teach takes on new meaning. It says to my class that I am not above any of them, but am here as a learner too, to serve and care for them. Sitting should also be an attitude. Like Jesus, I am to empty myself so that those in the class are pointed to the One who emptied Himself for them. 

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You, Lord Jesus, are the Master Teacher. Even though there are benefits and reasons to sit when I teach, because You did it is reason enough for me to do the same. May I have the same attitude of heart also, so that every time I sit to teach, others are reminded of You and that You became One of us that we might experience the grace of God and eternal life.

Lean cows and laziness

Sometimes I’m not sure that the Lord is convicting me or I am just beating myself up. Spurgeon’s reading for today is having that effect. It is about zeal and laziness, and how easily a Christian can slide backwards. An unusual verse prompts his thoughts. 

And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. (Genesis 41:4)

This comes from the days when Joseph was in prison in Egypt. He’d interpreted dreams for other prisoners so when the Pharaoh had this dream, Joseph was summoned. He told Pharaoh that it meant a famine would come and the nation needed to prepare for it.

However, this verse spoke to Spurgeon about a different kind of famine — the leanness of spiritual decline — and the way it made him feel. As I read his words, I realized that God is speaking to me too. I know about ugly, thin cows, only I must write about them in my own words.

Pharaoh’s dream has often been my daytime nightmare. As I look at how much time I waste, I can picture it like a hungry animal that gobbles up all that I accomplished in those hours of zealous hard work. The times of cool indifference numb the warm glow of fervent enthusiasm. Fits of worldliness throw me away from those amazing advances that God makes in my spiritual life.

Is God pleased with those times of lean prayers and praises, of lean effort to my duties? I don’t think so. It feels to me as if they eat up the joy and peace gained from serving Him wholeheartedly. It seems that when I neglect prayer for even a short time, my spiritual life dwindles for a long time. If I do not draw fresh supplies from heaven, everything stored up in my heart is quickly consumed by a famine that overtakes my spirit. I know about lean cows.

Attitudes like indifference, worldliness and self-indulgence strip my life of spiritual fruit and I become anxious because I’m feeling dead and useless. As Spurgeon asks, would I more quickly reach the high calling of being like Jesus if I only journeyed toward it without backsliding into selfishness and losing all that I’d gained? Is this slow progress His plan? Or my fault?

The only way to fatten cows is to feed them in green pastures beside still waters. I need to spend time with the Lord in His service and in His presence. I need to worship Him and do His will. Every hour, day, week, and year could be richer in love, usefulness and joy. I could be closer and have more experience of my Lord, and be more like Him if I were not so easily sidetracked and distracted by this curse of lean cows, otherwise known as leanness of soul.

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At times, Jesus, You bid me come and find rest for my soul. At times I am told to withdraw from activity and regain my strength. But this is not the same as sloughing off, or being lazy and indifferent to my responsibilities. One is refreshing; the other is debilitating. Keep me alert that I might recognize those lean cows that will eat up the progress You have produced in my spiritual growth. Help me rest when I need to rest, and be zealous when I need to press on. As Your child, I need Your help with knowing the difference.
(Clipart credit)

Godly Zeal

The women in Sunday’s Bible class had an interesting discussion about the way Christians treat those outside the church and the way we treat one another. We decided that sometimes we get it backwards.

We know that Jesus gives us power to turn away from sin and live godly lives. We also know that before Christ came into our lives, we did not have that power. Why then do we tell unbelievers to stop sinning?

We also read verses that tell us to purify our lives, even to rebuke one another when any of us get entangled in sin. We are supposed to love one another, both by tender care and by caring enough that every one of us becomes the godly people the Lord wants us to be. Why then do we overlook sin among ourselves? Jesus doesn’t do that.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:19–22)

In other verses, God says that if we are not disciplined by Him, then we are not His children. He explains that a good father disciplines the children he loves. He cares that we are not caught in the trap of sin because He knows how much harm it does to our lives. If we love Him, then we also desire what He desires. We want to be obedient also, for we know that this is the best way to live.

God wants us to be zealous too. This may conjure up an image of someone on a street corner yelling, “Turn or burn!” but this is not what zealous means. It is related to envy, but in a good sense. Zeal is to be passionate about godliness, purity and living a Christlike life. Zeal cares about this for self and for others. To the zealous, sin is our enemy and we focus our energy on getting rid of it. Zeal wants all of God’s people growing to be more like Him.

As for those outside the kingdom of God, a zealous Christian also wants to see them set free from sin’s penalty and power, but true zeal understands that Christ is the solution, not self-effort. No one can conquer sin without Jesus. Our first message to them is an introduction to Jesus, not an impossible demand to be godly without Him.

But for those who already know Jesus, we still must yield to Him before we can conquer sin. When we do that, we receive the promises He makes in the above verses. Note that He is speaking to the churches, so these promises are for Christians. He says that when He is given full dominion, we will experience intimacy with Him in both His presence and in His authority. However, that requires that we first listen for His reproof and yield to His discipline. His rewards are for those who repent and are zealous about getting rid of sin.

Even though the above verses are directed to Christians, the invitation includes anyone who wants Jesus in their life. He will forgive sin and cleanse it. He will come in and fellowship with them. Yet those who want that must also expect that He will continue to reprove sin and discipline them. This is part of being a Christian. God cares about the lives of His people. He hates evil and ungodliness. He is zealous for us. With Him at the helm, we also should have that same zeal.

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Father, sometimes my zeal lags or is held in check because I sense the reluctance of others to feel that same desire to be rid of sin and live to please You. Forgive me for letting lukewarm mediocrity replace the fervor that You put in my life. You hate sin and are diligent to expose and remove it from my heart. You want to change the way I live and desire my cooperation. May I gladly give it to you, keeping the door wide open and the table set. Give me ears to hear You — always.

To Live is Christ — zealous for holiness

If anyone wants a quick and visible answer to prayer, I would tell them, “Ask God to show you what is wrong with your life and attitudes — and then duck.”

I don’t pray like that very often. In fact, I’m as guilty as the next person of going to God with my shopping list asking for all sorts of things that would make life easier and make me feel better. But when those prayers seem like they are bouncing off the ceiling, I know that I have somehow lost touch. It might be just the selfishness of my prayers, but usually it goes deeper than that. I need His to show me where I have stepped out of His will.

God is happy to answer a prayer for correction, not because He is a meanie just waiting to jump all over me, but because He loves me. He wants me to be free from the bondage of sin and selfishness. He says,

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

In this verse, zealous means to be as eager about getting rid of my sin as He is, having the same holy indignation whenever I do something that violates His will as He does. To have that zeal, I also need another kind of zeal — a zeal to know His will in the first place.

Peter wrote this, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1–3).

One look at a hungry baby and I know how intense a zeal he is talking about. A baby will die without milk. If I don’t read the milk of the Word, my spiritual life will shrivel. If I don’t know what God says about sin, I’m apt not to recognize it, or if I do, will find it easy to rationalize away or make excuses for; either way, I keep sinning.

Reading the Word of God produces growth as Peter says, but it also rebukes and chastens me because it shows me the high standard of God and where I fall short. I need that kind of food too.

When I see it, I’m supposed to repent. Repentance is turning from sin to God, changing direction. If I didn’t read the Bible, I might be afraid of doing that. What will God want from me? Will He ask me to do things that I don’t want to do? The Word of God helps me know what God is really like. As I read about Him, I know I am safe to make this choice. I don’t need to be fearful about correction and change. He loves me and does what He does for my good.

Way back when the first sin was committed, Satan disguised as a serpent hinted to Eve that God really didn’t want the best for her, that eating the forbidden fruit would be a good thing, a better thing than God’s will. Satan’s tactics have not changed. He still tries to get me to think that God’s dealings with me are not as good for me as what He forbids, and that sin is a better choice. Of course, he doesn’t call it sin.

My only weapon of defense against such nonsense is the truth from Scripture. Jesus used Scripture this way also. When Satan threw things at Him to get Him to sin, Jesus used Scripture in response. Each lie was doused with the Word of God.

To live is Christ means to use His tactics against the enemy, but it also means to have a zeal for holiness in the first place, a zeal that makes me want to defeat sin as much as He does. To do that, I need the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to produce in me that deep desire to be like Jesus.