Are We Teachable? - by Jamie Palmesano

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Teach·a·ble   -  /ˈtēCHəbəl/

 "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man,
and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9:9

Recently, I began helping a friend run for a local government position in my town.  This friend is a professional with a long list of accomplishments, achievements, and accolades in her life.  As sat down to discuss our strategy for the campaign, I immediately told her we would create a Dropbox account in order to share files, pictures, documents, and information.  She smiled, politely nodded, and then said, “I have no idea what that is, but it sounds good.”  For those of you who don’t know, Dropbox is a file sharing application that allows you to easily move and share information from one device to another.  During our meeting, I gave my friend a five-minute lesson on Dropbox and sent her on her way.

Later that evening, I was sending her information right and left through Dropbox with a zillion different instructions and ideas, in typical Jamie fashion.  Around 10:30pm, I texted my friend, and her response floored me.  She said, “Jamie, I have no idea how to use this Dropbox.  But, I just finished watching an hour tutorial on Dropbox.  I will learn it.”  The next day, she told me she was almost in tears over her frustration with Dropbox.  My friend is in her sixties and didn’t grow up speaking the language of technology like I did.  She could have called her kids to come rescue her from the doomed Dropbox.  She could have written me and said, “This is not my area of expertise.  This is your assignment and I just don’t understand this technology.”  She could have thrown her hands up in the air and given up. 

But, you see, my friend has a teachable spirit. 

Pastor Jimmy Evans, Senior Pastor of Gateway Church, delivers a powerful message on the value of a teachable spirit.  Take a listen and learn the great value of a teachable spirit.  “The word disciple means learner. You can’t be a successful disciple of Jesus without having a teachable spirit.” – Jimmy Evans 

Watch the full sermon by Jimmy Evans, Senior Pastor of Gateway Church - https://gatewaypeople.com/sermons/the-treasure-of-a-teachable-spirit

 Five Root Causes of an Unteachable Spirit
a. Pride
b. Rebellion and Independence
c. Insecurity
d. Foolishness
e. Laziness
Isaiah 53:6; Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6; Ephesians 5:21; Proverbs 22:15; 15:14; 26:16; 13:4

 The Four Characteristics of a Teachable Spirit
a. Humility
b. Graciously Accepting Correction and Input
c. Seeking Wise Counsel and Input in Times of Decision, Difficulty or Chronic Failure
d. Submitting to Authority and Staying Accountable
Proverbs 9:8; Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 15:22

Author:  Jamie Palmesano



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