Teaching

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. – James 3v1

I love to teach. It is what I ‘do.’ I love everything about as I have said probably many times in these writings. But as I teach there is something I need to always be aware of. Teaching is not something to be taken lightly.

Before James goes in to teaching about the dangers of the tongue we makes the comment that, because of what is to follow, not everyone is to be a teacher. The tongue is dangerous, and when teaching it has the possibility of inflicting even more damage.

When we teach we are accountable for what we say. Teaching is not to be our bully pulpit where we get to address our own personal views and deal with them. Teaching is not the place to put forth our own agendas.

Teaching has one purpose – to proclaim and explain God’s word. That is all it is to be used for. Those who abuse the privilege of teaching are going to receive a ‘stricter judgement.’ I am not sure at the moment what that entails, but one thing is clear. When we teach we are accountable for what we say. We had better be careful.