Teachable Moments. I'm not sure who first coined that phrase, but I think it's an amazing descriptor. It is a moment in time when something happens that is a perfect illustration of a principle or concept that you're trying to teach to someone else. And in that moment, you can focus the attention on that event and drive home the point of what you're teaching. For instance, if a science teacher is teaching about electricity and circuits and the power goes out in the school, he has a perfect opportunity to use that moment to describe to the students that if a circuit is broken, electricity will not flow. The situation, which students are experiencing, serves to illustrate and reinforce that concept and there is a high probability of comprehension and retention.
As a parent, I am always on the lookout for teachable moments with my children. Teaching ideas and concepts to them is fine, but it especially drives it home with them when they see/experience it. That's when I know they "get it." For instance, when we started visiting our new church the other day, Audrey came back feeling very upset. We questioned her, and it turned out that no one was very nice to her during her Sunday School class. After taking a few moments to console her, Andrea reminded her how we always told her (at our old church) to be sure to go talk to everyone in her class who was new, and to try to include them with her group of friends during the class. "Do you see how scary and uncomfortable it feels to be new?" Andrea asked. "Wouldn't you have liked it if someone would have included you and showed you the ropes? Not necessarily inviting you to be their BFF, but just being kind and making sure you didn't feel alone. Do you see now why we always told you to do that at our old church?" You know those moments when the face wides as the light comes on in their eyes? We could see through her countenance that she got it.
There was another instance just this past week in which the light of understanding came on; but it wasn't with Audrey...it was with Andrea and me.
If you know our journey, then you'll understand it when I tell you that we're not rolling in the dough right now. In fact, God has not yet opened the door to our next position of ministry and financially, we're really beginning to get stretched. Well, just this past week both Andrea and I were stressing about income. We'd prayed, but just were really not amazingly sure how things are going to work out. For my part, I've really been feeling forgotten by God. Of course, I know it's not true; but I've really felt like those things on the bottom of my Weekly To-Do List. You know what I mean; those things which are significant enough to make the list, but not priority enough to get done this week with the limited amount of time you have. So you write them down again on next week's list...and the next...and the next...and so on.
To make a long story short, I've been feeling that way pretty strongly for a while - again, I know it's not true, but that's that angle satan has been taking to attack me recently (I assume because it's working so well). One of my greatest fears is being insignificant, and this time of waiting feels like I'm treading water in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight...and my nose keeps getting closer and closer to the water as I tire.
This past week, God took the opportunity to have a teachable moment with us. Again, finances has been a major stressor of late and we've been praying diligently about it. In the span of two days, God provided all the money we'll need to get by this month.
Not a permanent solution, mind you, but a significant acknowledgement of, "Yes Gary, I hear you. Yes Gary, I love you. Yes Gary, I know your finances and I can make money appear for you out of thin air. And yes Gary, you are important to Me." As soon as I hung up the phone on the second day, I paused; those words sinking into my head. And that's when I knew that God had just taken the opportunity to have a Teachable Moment with me.
God's Teachable Moments, I'm learning, are all around us if we'll take the time to stop and notice. Times when He shows us that He's in control. Times when He shows us that He protects us. Times when He shows us that His plans for us are best. Times when He shows us that more than anything, He loves us.
So just open your eyes, and be in the moment...and allow Him to teach you.
As a parent, I am always on the lookout for teachable moments with my children. Teaching ideas and concepts to them is fine, but it especially drives it home with them when they see/experience it. That's when I know they "get it." For instance, when we started visiting our new church the other day, Audrey came back feeling very upset. We questioned her, and it turned out that no one was very nice to her during her Sunday School class. After taking a few moments to console her, Andrea reminded her how we always told her (at our old church) to be sure to go talk to everyone in her class who was new, and to try to include them with her group of friends during the class. "Do you see how scary and uncomfortable it feels to be new?" Andrea asked. "Wouldn't you have liked it if someone would have included you and showed you the ropes? Not necessarily inviting you to be their BFF, but just being kind and making sure you didn't feel alone. Do you see now why we always told you to do that at our old church?" You know those moments when the face wides as the light comes on in their eyes? We could see through her countenance that she got it.
There was another instance just this past week in which the light of understanding came on; but it wasn't with Audrey...it was with Andrea and me.
If you know our journey, then you'll understand it when I tell you that we're not rolling in the dough right now. In fact, God has not yet opened the door to our next position of ministry and financially, we're really beginning to get stretched. Well, just this past week both Andrea and I were stressing about income. We'd prayed, but just were really not amazingly sure how things are going to work out. For my part, I've really been feeling forgotten by God. Of course, I know it's not true; but I've really felt like those things on the bottom of my Weekly To-Do List. You know what I mean; those things which are significant enough to make the list, but not priority enough to get done this week with the limited amount of time you have. So you write them down again on next week's list...and the next...and the next...and so on.
To make a long story short, I've been feeling that way pretty strongly for a while - again, I know it's not true, but that's that angle satan has been taking to attack me recently (I assume because it's working so well). One of my greatest fears is being insignificant, and this time of waiting feels like I'm treading water in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight...and my nose keeps getting closer and closer to the water as I tire.
This past week, God took the opportunity to have a teachable moment with us. Again, finances has been a major stressor of late and we've been praying diligently about it. In the span of two days, God provided all the money we'll need to get by this month.
Not a permanent solution, mind you, but a significant acknowledgement of, "Yes Gary, I hear you. Yes Gary, I love you. Yes Gary, I know your finances and I can make money appear for you out of thin air. And yes Gary, you are important to Me." As soon as I hung up the phone on the second day, I paused; those words sinking into my head. And that's when I knew that God had just taken the opportunity to have a Teachable Moment with me.
God's Teachable Moments, I'm learning, are all around us if we'll take the time to stop and notice. Times when He shows us that He's in control. Times when He shows us that He protects us. Times when He shows us that His plans for us are best. Times when He shows us that more than anything, He loves us.
So just open your eyes, and be in the moment...and allow Him to teach you.
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