Exodus 35:34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.

Many people have been impressed with the consummate skill of Bezalel and Oholiab, given all they accomplished, but they often overlook this detail. There was far too much to be done for these two men to do it all personally, so God gave them the ability to teach others to do the work as well. This is a vital part of discipleship training, which is our theme at this point. We are to be disciples of Jesus Christ, but we aren’t to do it alone. A person might have keen insight in reading the Bible and steadfast faithfulness in applying it in his daily life, but to fulfill the Great Commission, he needs to lead others to do the same. It has rightly been said that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it, and in teaching others to follow Christ, we ourselves become much better disciples. America is traditionally all about “rugged individualism,” but that’s not how the Body of Christ operates. We are individuals, certainly, and we are individually accountable to God for all we say and do, but God’s plan is for us to interact with each other, building each other up in faith, love, and obedience. The thing is, each one of us has something they can teach others, and as I said, teaching is one of the most effective ways to learn. We need to be humble enough to learn from others, and at the same time recognize that God has placed things in us that He hasn’t yet placed in others, so that we will teach with assurance and love.

As someone with Teacher gifting, this is very close to my heart. I have been involved in classroom teaching for over half my life, and at this point I stand in a pulpit almost every Sunday. However, from a few years ago I have been learning more about coaching, which can be called a form of teaching but is far removed from lectures. Just yesterday a close friend cautioned me on this very point, saying that just giving people material on discipleship won’t do the job; I need to interact with them more personally. I was a bit defensive about it, because I have tried to be more one-on-one, but modern lifestyles have gotten in the way. However, that’s no excuse. I need to make the effort to create opportunities to interact with believers individually, checking on their growth and encouraging them to keep going. I think I am rightly careful of gender interactions. I have seen too many men, too many ministries, destroyed by such things. The “Billy Graham Rule” is very wise, avoiding both temptation and the appearance of evil. However, for men with jobs, I have to ask them to make time to meet with me, and the reception of such requests is spotty. However, I’m to keep trying. Every good thing God has given me is to be shared!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me follow through as You desire, neither proud nor defensive, so that the Body of Christ may be built up, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!