Hello!
I took a short break from posting for a few days, but I am back. Today I have been thinking a lot, especially about the topics of "Teaching" and "Lecturing". From my own life experiences I've noticed that these two topics, or experiences can quickly start meshing together. I think as a parent I strive to "Teach" my kids and not lecture, but you know I was really thinking about this today, and honestly who leanrs anything from lectures? Really? Do Adults? I learn more from someone guiding me to the right answer, and explaining the right answer to my questions, or concerns. So when someone is an authority over another wheather it's Teacher to Student, Boss to Employee, or Parent to Child I tuely believe that the only way to help another and propell them into a chosen obedience is to show them and teach them the how's and why's the best we can. I have pourposly applied this today since it is so fresh in my mind. I am going to re-mind myself everyday to choose to Teach, by hanging it on my mirror.
In 2 Timothy 4:2 NLT, It explains..."To Preach the word of God, Be Prepaired, wheather the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching".
Personally, I think that this scripture can be taken a couple of ways like many others like it. I think the power in this piece of scripture is where it makes me think about how I am teaching others around me. I want to patiently correct, rebuke and encourage and not end up discouraging them which can happen with the best intention. I think the key to encouraging and teaching is that the heart needs to be in the right place first, and second to be supper careful with rubuking. In the dictionary Rebuking is discribed as expressing a sharp, stern disaproval of; reprimand. The reason I think this is an area of great causion and that the teaching that had taken place can be lost if the Rebuke is not done correctly. I think there are ways of rebuking or correcting a child, friend, or another person without inflicting blame. I believe there are only a few insodences in which reprimanding is appropraite, but certainly not when someone is asking a question, or needs a friend to talk to. I am going to take advantage of the teachable moments and try my best to answer the how and why's no matter who is asking.
Grace and Peace to you -
Heather
