The Bible refers to Christians as sheep, the dyed-in-the-wool type. They are incorrigible and resolute in their actions. Sheep are cute and fluffy but fall prey to wolves and get in all kinds of trouble. They are not the most intelligent animal on four feet, but cute. Sheep also can be pliable, in other words – humble. Sheep need to be protected and cared for. We like Sheep need a Shepherd or a mentor to teach us, and we need the same humble attitude. To have a mentor, we need to have teachable hearts. The Apostle Paul tells us to, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watching over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden,” in Hebrews 13:17. Do not be a burden to your mentor, have a teachable spirit. Having a humble attitude includes:
- Admitting you don’t know everything
- Listening and being open to other’s ideas
- Admitting when you are wrong
- Willingness to ask questions that expose your inexperience
- Don’t act defensive when another point of view is offered
- Graciously accept correction
The effects of having a teachable spirit can be long-reaching, and the results can be satisfying and beneficial to your personal growth. The first thing that has a teachable spirit will do is make you more likable. No one likes a know-it-all. We have all met that person that knows everything about everything. They are frustrating. How do you recognize if you are a know-it-all? Know-it-alls are not careful in their summations or very deep in details. They voice their opinions before thinking and finding out information. They assume they know the answers. Know it all is love to hear themselves talk.
The second benefit of being teachable is that you will be wiser. Everyone wants to be clever and astute. We would all like to have our counsel sought after. Mentors have a wealth of knowledge that they have learned from life’s lessons. We can benefit from the lessons they have learned if we listen and apply them to our lives. Mentors can also provide encouragement and advice on major decisions. Listening to advice from a wiser mentor prevents you from hardship and setbacks. To be more intelligent, you have to accept wisdom and accept wisdom to be humble.
The third benefit of being teachable is you will have less drama. When you get into a conflict, your pride is showing. When you handle a situation with humility, you have less conflict or drama. God wants us to be humble like children. Children are not defensive about learning; they know that they have to learn how to crawl, walk, and eat. We all have a choice to learn and grow as much as we can for the glory of God, or we can let our pride keep us from being everything that God created us to be. Girl, save the drama for your mamma and humble yourself. What is it going to be dyed-in-the-wool or teachable?
