Being Led and Teachable
How teachable are you?
Verse of the Day
‘He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.’
Today’s Devotional
Many times in my life I have wanted to be deliberately led by God. Many other times in my life I have simply gone about my business without thought of needing to be led one way or another.
Humility teaches me that I always need to be led. Only in true humility can I recognize this truth.
The truth of today’s verse is that only in my humility is God leading me. When I am not humble, when I am running my own life, when I am thinking of nothing other than MY tasks (or desires), I am still being led. But in those moments I am being led by none other than myself. That is a dangerous path for me to be on.
As we study about pride and humility, one of the keys is to always be willing to be taught. Being teachable is a major component of humility. Are you teachable?
As I was researching what it means to be teachable, I came across a few articles about the subject. One, written by Dave DeSelm, lists some “tells” of being unteachable. He says:
“An unteachable person…
Fails to receive criticism without defensiveness.
Refuses to be wrong, always giving an excuse or self-justification.
Refrains from asking questions that might make them appear uninformed or inexperienced.
Demands the “last word,” needing to win (or at least to not lose) every argument.
Will not seek guidance from more seasoned, experienced people.
Is passive or unengaged in learning environments – doesn’t take notes or ask questions.
Will not expose themselves to thoughts, history or experiences that will challenge their existing perceptions, practices or prejudices.”
I find this list very convicting (and it seems very similar to the list of prideful behavior from a few days ago). My first instinct is often to be defensive when corrected. I often find myself making excuses, and the Holy Spirit is kind enough to help me to see those excuses for what they are. If I am not teachable, I am not humble. And if I am not humble, then I am not being led by the only One I need to be following.
For today, I will focus on the areas where my teachability is lacking. These areas show me where my humility needs some work.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Which items from the “tells” of being unteachable describe you?
How often do you ask God to lead you?
How would you describe your willingness to be taught?
How would being more teachable help you to be truly humble?