To Encourage You

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom . . .”

Do you see yourself as a teacher? Maybe you’ve never viewed yourself in this way. Perhaps you’ve never taught school, or Sunday School, or you’ve never provided on-the-job training to anyone. However, if you are a Christian, you have been given the above command to teach – and not just teach anything.  You’ve been commanded to teach the very Word of God. It isn’t something to be done haphazardly, or lackadaisically and it isn’t meant to be an option to be exercised by some and not others. And it is to be done with all wisdom. That sounds like a very high calling to me. But are we up to it? Are we equipped? And who do we teach?

This verse, in just a few words, gives us clear answers to all these questions. The prerequisite to this teaching is to simply “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Isaiah 55:2 calls God’s Word “the richest of fare” in the New International Version – something we are invited to feed on all the time. But rather than fill our stomachs, this bread feeds the heart, and Jesus told us that it is “from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). We are being told here to fill our hearts with His Word, above everything else in this world, and it is this very thing that will spill from our lips – naturally – whenever the opportunity presents itself. We’ll find we almost can’t help ourselves – for isn’t this the natural way we talk about anything we love? Just spend some time around people who love hunting, or fishing, or football, or anything else for that matter. That’s just the way it is.

But who are we to teach? One another. This is a specific instruction to Christians for Christians. Just like we are to pray for one another, love one another, encourage one another, and forgive one another, we are to teach one another. Christians should talk to Christians about the Word of God. It should be a common practice, happening all the time. As we individually spend time alone with Christ, He will be teaching us. Sharing these things with other believers as they also share their hearts with us is one of the most wonderful kinds of communion within the body of Christ. In short, any Christian can teach any other Christian something, for God’s Word is an infinite well of truth and wisdom, and every time we speak to one another about it, there is opportunity to teach and admonish one another is some way. It’s all within the providential plan and work of the Holy Spirit, and a wonderful blessing provided to any child of God who will avail himself or herself of the opportunities.

May God fill us with his rich Word and give us the wisdom to not rob from one another the blessings God intends to give us if we will but prayerfully seek opportunities to both learn from as well as teach one another.