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Saturday, February 18, 2006

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James 3:1-10
Psalm 12
Mark 9:2-13

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team-teaching

"Not many of you should become teachers...those of us who do so will be called to the stricter account." —James 3:1

The above passage does not excuse ninety percent of you from the call to teach. Each of you is called to teach and spread God's word, giving to others the treasure you have received (Mt 10:8). Perhaps 250,000 people read One Bread, One Body daily. There are well over four billion people on earth. You OBOB readers are "not many" compared to four billion (Jas 3:1).

Not many of us may be called to a formal teaching ministry, but we are certainly called to teach informally in our daily lives. All parents are called to teach their children about the Lord. The Lord has put some people in your life for whom you will be their only teacher in the faith. So look expectantly for those teachable moments when they are ready to hear about the Lord (Eph 5:16).

We are not so much a teacher as we are a "Teacher's aid." Only the Lord is the Teacher (Mt 23:10). We are His mouthpieces. The Holy Spirit will teach us "what to say and how to speak" (Jn 12:49). We will be called to the stricter account (Jas 3:1). Since we have been given much, that is, the incomparable privilege of teaching people about almighty God, much will be required of us (Lk 12:48). We must not grow lazy (Heb 6:12), for He Whom we serve is the eternal God (Rm 12:11).

Teacher's aides, show up for work every day. Listen daily to the Teacher, and then fill the world with your teaching (Acts 5:28).

Prayer:  Jesus, may I never stop teaching about You (Acts 5:42).

Promise:  "If a person is without fault in speech he is a man in the fullest sense, because he can control his entire body." —Jas 3:2

Praise:  Justin attended a course on teaching the Bible because he wanted to teach Scripture to his children.

Reference:  (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 16, 2005

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