I Love Teaching

Teaching.  I don’t know about anyone else, but some of the most fun I have is teaching.  I never would have thought it, especially early in life.  I failed an oral presentation out of sheer terror.  Standing in front of people filled me with fear.  So the idea that I would have so much fun teaching today, would have been outside my scope of comprehension.  Some of you may even think this makes me some sort of weirdo.  I love teaching.  Here are a few reasons.

1.  I learn a lot when I teach.  To me the process is like this.  I start by asking God what He wants to say.  Often a topic comes to mind.  These days, the topic may be assigned or requested.  So next, I start to ask God how He sees this topic.  What are we all missing?  What is hidden in His heart about the topic, and how can it be used to open our eyes.  Then I begin to learn.  Sometimes I learn something when it comes out of my mouth.  Now that’s fun

2.  I see people shift.  I always tell my team, we are teaching people not topics.  It becomes like a giant conversation.  Me, you guys and God; some of my favorite people.  I like to watch eyes.  Eyes and facial expressions.  Can you really see a light go on?  I am pretty sure I do, and it is a deeply rewarding thing.  Once somebody sees things differently, it is difficult for them to un-see.  People can forget a lesson, but they seldom forget a revelation.  Even if they forget it, it still works.

3. People seem to like it.  Feedback is nice.  Positive feedback is nicer.  When people tell me their life has been impacted, it impacts mine.  My life matters.  I know my life matters because God made me, but He made me to teach.

4.  God seems to like it.  You know the line, Chariots of Fire; I feel the pleasure of God when I teach.  The way I feel watching my son play basketball, or my daughter take pictures, or paint.  The way I feel when I see my oldest son engage life in meaningful ways.  I love them all the time, but I smile inside when I see them doing the things they love, and are gifted to do.  I feel that smile in the room when I teach.

5.  It forces me to ask questions.  Face value? Surely hidden mysteries are behind everything we see.  Ask.  Seek.  Knock.  Like kids ask why the sky is blue, I ask God about life stuff.  Why?  How?  Why not?  Will it always be that way?  What’s my role?

6.  I touch eternity.  Not only do I feel the pleasure of God in my actions, I see others warming up to His Spirit in the room.  We stand in the crease in the bi-fold universe, reach out our hearts and touch each side.  Breathe, and out comes eternity.  It’s in us, I would assume it comes out when we exhale.

I had no idea how much I liked it until I started writing this.  I could keep going.  Maybe I will teach a class on this.

BTW Check my itinerary page, I have added a few dates outside our normal freedom schedule.  Thanks so much for reading!!