Do You Know What Christ Is Teaching Today?

I love to ask people this question. So, what is Christ teaching you at the moment? It produces so many different responses, and so it should. Each person is unique and Jesus walks differently with each of us.  Unlike our earthly pastors who teach all in their flock the same message, Jesus teaches us as individuals. He takes his Word and it becomes life to us uniquely.Being a disciple of Christ means that I get the line-upon-line, precept-upon-precept, kind of tutoring. He builds on old concepts I thought I had mastered, and brings in a whole new layer. Hence the constant realization – the more I learn the more I realize how little I know.  I’m not talking about a knowing in my head. I have a lot of theory down pat. I can talk about different doctrines and different schools of thought regarding various bible matters. I can even try and be as smart as the next guy (or gal). That’s not the knowing I am talking about. I mean knowing.When I was a kid, I knew I had to eat. My tummy rumbled, I got hungry and I whined for food. I preferred to be filled with burgers and fries and ice cream. As my knowledge of nutrition developed, I knew I had to eat fresh fruit and vegetables and good protein and healthy stuff. I knew my hunger at a different level and made better choices. We now live in a world of added hormones and antibiotics, not to mention HMO’s. Now I need to know on a whole new level.There's knowing and then there's knowing.  This deep, abiding conviction that it is what it is.So, what has Jesus been teaching me?Jesus is calling me and teaching me and equipping me to serve those that serve Him.I have been in full time ministry for over 30 years. My life has been about serving others. I know the joys and the heartaches of ministry, not just in a theoretical way but, rather, in a practical, gut wrenching, hard, exhilarating and amazing way. I know what serving looks like. At least, I thought I did. Then Jesus showed me this whole other way; this serving of those that are serving, this loving and encouraging and being- there-while-you-bleed service to those that serve. I see a whole new dimension to the spiritual discipline of service.  Maybe it’s my age, or my life experience or tens of other natural reasons why this is the next step for me. I don’t really care about that because following Jesus has always been my joy. This is where He is leading me and what he has been teaching me – for some long time now.I am learning that I never know the full story about others, so I should keep my opinions to myself and simply serve and love. This is hard because I am opinionated. I am learning that people are in need of deep relationships that matter. This is hard because I tend to feel I am invading another’s privacy when I ask personal questions. I am learning that being there, showing up, speaking up with kindness is important. This is hard because I am an introvert so it is just hard for me.But I am learning that it’s not about me.It’s about what Jesus leads me to say and to ask and to do and to give.All this I have done for many years but … now … on a whole new level I feel a passion stirring … serving those that serve Him. I am seeing an aspect of servant hood that has broken my heart and that inspires me and gives me great, great joy.God is not finished with me yet.Walking with Jesus day by day is never a journey on a plateau – it is always an upward expedition. As we walk, He talks and he teaches his disciples, exactly what each one needs to know.So, what is Christ teaching you at the moment?  Do you know?"The Lord is my shepherd ... He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." - Psalm 23: 1-3