By Almon Bartholomew

This paper is intended to show the relationship of humility to one with a teachable spirit. There are many applications of humility which are worthy to consider. These diverse applications impact the person who would learn. For our purpose, we will define teachable as “one who has the capacity and the willingness to learn. “

A basic principle of education sheds light on our theme: “No teaching occurs until learning occurs. No learning occurs until the information received modifies the recipient’s thinking, priority or behavior”. This principle assumes that the person who receives the information has both that capacity and the willingness to learn. Humility aids in this search for a widening understanding.

In considering this principle we will follow a three level application; “teaching”, “learning”, and “changing”. There are obstacles raised on the path of this tri-level concept. These obstacles include apathy, tradition, rigidity, fear of the unknown and an overarching impediment, inflated egos, better known as pride. These must be dealt with if our goal is to be achievable.

Apathy suggests a “so what” attitude “these things don’t concern me”. Tradition says “We have never done it this way before”. Rigidity manifests a hard and fast determination not to change, saying, “God doesn’t change and I’m not going to change either. Well, if one is perfect he doesn’t have to change. Man is not perfect; God is! There is a lesson to be learned from the little boy who said “If God is having difficulty making me a better boy it’s all right. I like me just the way I am”. Fear of the unknown is a real detriment to accepting something new. Some new perspective may be scary. Personal pride will caboose on any of these and deter both learning and change.

Pride is the antithesis of humility. It will create a mental block and will diminish one’s receptivity to something new. One must examine the validity and options of a different view, answer or solution. If such validity is determined, it may be in one’s best interest to consider a new approach. The person who will not entertain options may be characterized by the spirit underlying the statement “my mind is made up; don’t confuse me with the facts”. Humility leaves the door open to that which may be helpful, and indeed better, for one who seeks the best.

There is a difference between pure science and applied science. Pure science takes place in the lab. One can perform the same experiment over and over again and continue to get the same results. This is possible because there are no variables. Applied science, on the other hand, takes place in the field. The same experiment performed there may produce different results. This can occur since there are variables in the field.

What ever profession we may be in, we may tend to insist because we have the educational and background training we have the superior approach to a task. It is commonly called a “know it all attitude”. This creates friction in the workplace. It also limits the understanding of the unique set of circumstances which accompanies appropriate application in the field. It could be, by practicing humility, and looking at the concerns through the eyes of another who might be more experienced, one could learn from their observations. We must not let the information on our resume’ deny us learning from other people and other resources. A teachable spirit allows us to gain something new from persons who have long served in their field.

Let us apply the tri-level approach of “Teaching”, “Learning”, and “Changing”.

Teachers may come in all shapes and sizes and ages. The teacher in this Biblical narrative was a captive slave girl working in the home of a prestigious general in the Syrian Army. The unwitting student was Naaman, commander of Syria’s legions. He was the victim of a dread disease called leprosy. The lesson was, “how to be freed from a debilitating affliction”. The story is told in the 5th chapter of 1 Kings.

Upon learning of her master’s terrible plight she volunteered a solution. She informed him, “There is a prophet in Israel (Elisha) who could heal him. Now if this happened to one of our ministers today, we might be just a bit apprehensive having to live up to this advance billing. This young lady exuded great confidence in Elisha.

Desperate for any hope of help, Naaman pursued the contact. He enlisted the help of the King of Syria who sent a letter to the King of Israel. Israel’s King, with less faith than the captive maiden, thought this was a ruse to create an occasion to attack his land upon assuming his failure to produce the miracle. Elisha got news of the King’s dismay and sent word to direct Naaman to his house. He knew his God and he knew the Lord would not fail him.

Then Naaman showed up at the prophet’s door. Horses, chariots and a cache of treasures accompanied him. Elisha never came out to greet him. He sent word to Naaman by another telling him to go to the Jordan River and bathe seven times, and he would be healed. Naaman’s ego was shattered. He was furious. Didn’t Elisha know who he was ordering around? And, after all, the rivers in Syria were, by comparison, cleaner than Jordan. Naaman was headed home!

While the Syrian generalissimo was ready to ride out of town wearing a public pout, an underling suggested, “If he had asked you something difficult you would have done it”. Naaman humbled himself and struck a learning pose. He went to the muddy Jordan River and ducked in it six times. Following the seventh dip he arose from the water cleansed completely from his sore affliction. It was a teaching moment for Naaman, and when he humbled himself, as a willing learner, he was rewarded with a dynamic change in his life.

In yet another Biblical record, a sweet, wise, generous and mature woman named Abigail was the teacher. She was the wife of a selfish, wealthy and arrogant bigot named Nabal. Read about it in 1 Samuel, the 25th chapter. Besides vast vineyards and grain stores, Nabal owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. David, with his watchful companions, protected the shepherds and the flocks of this insolent man. None of them suffered injury or loss through the extended period of time David and his men kept watch.

In this whole story David is the one who attended class in the “School of Humility”. At first he didn’t even know he had preregistered. He and his men went to Nabal requesting, in lieu of payment for services rendered, an ample supply of food to ease their hunger. He was met with a scurrilous rebuke and utter disdain. In raging anger, (far from a humble response) David threatened death to Nabal, his household and his servants.

It was then when Abigail prepared and sent abundant provisions to David and his men. She also came humbly to him, speaking, as with a prophetic word, appealing to him to not have blood on his hands by retributing Nabal’s insolence. David cooled down took the humble way and God took care of the rest. Ten days later Nabal was smitten of God and he died. Abigail became David’s wife and potential slaughter was averted. David blessed God for Abigail’s intervention. Long before it was penned in Romans 12:19, David learned “Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord”. Here, again, you have a teacher, a learner, and a lesson well learned. It did indeed alter his planned behavior.

Unlike Naaman and David, Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way. In the 4th chapter of Daniel, the God of heaven was the teacher. Daniel was His surrogate in the classroom. Nebuchadnezzar, supreme monarch in Babylon was the audacious student. In process, the king abandoned his self deification and was brought to acknowledge the King of the Universe.

In the scriptural account Nebuchadnezzar paraded his personal greatness; “The King spoke, saying, is this not great Babylon which I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power, and for the honor of my majesty? While the word was still in the King’s mouth, (as had been prophesied by Daniel), a voice fell from Heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom is departed from you”. He was deposed for a season. He ate grass like oxen, the dew of heaven soaked his body, his hair grew like feathers and his nails like bird claws. His pride cost him dearly.

At the end of the appointed time, the King was restored. His eyes and his understanding had been opened. In utter humility he acknowledged the God of Heaven, giving Him honor and glory. He praised and extolled the King Eternal. He exclaimed, “Those who walk in pride He is able to abase”. In that dramatic experience he became teachable. Before this he sang “How Great I Am”. When God got through with him he changed his tune, singing “How Great Thou Art”. In today’s jargon one might repeat “The reason people beat their head against the wall is because it feels so good when you quit”. God taught; Nebuchadnezzar learned; his thinking and priorities changed.

These lessons continued in the New Testament. They are seen in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (The Apostle Paul) recorded in Acts chapter nine. They are reflected in Samaria in Acts chapter eight. Simon the Sorcerer attempted to commercialize the blessing of God. He ended up begging for mercy. In Acts chapter eighteen, Acquila and Priscilla took a brilliant, articulate preacher, Apollos, aside and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly”. With humility this gifted man received their word. His ministry grew from that experience and he “mightily convinced” the public that “Jesus was the Christ”.

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. In the beatitudes He taught them how to live. It was He who said in Matthew 23:12, “Whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted”.

Speaking both to you and myself, I say, “Let Jesus be our Teacher; let us take a humble, learning posture; let us yield ourselves to a life changing experience”. In so doing we will be better servants to Him and to those he entrusts to our care.

Almon Bartholomew is a retired pastor. He is shown here with his wife, Joyce.