What Is The Purpose Of Teaching
Title: What Is The Purpose Of Teaching
Subject: Teaching
What is the purpose of teaching?
It's an important question. The answer goes to the heart of many problems we face in this world. It transcends race, culture, income, gender, nationality, and age. It moves beyond time itself, traveling from creation through the pages of history to the future yet to come. It passes all religions, philosophies, ideologies, and beliefs. It gives substance to thought and purpose to action. And for those who claim to be Christian, the answer is what leads us to become the people God wants us to be.
Curious? To know the purpose of teaching, we must first understand what the purpose is not.
The purpose of teaching is not to fill our heads with information. Simply having information means nothing. Computers have information. I have a ridiculous amount of worthless information stuck in my brain that may help in a trivia contest, but that's about it. We may go through all levels of education and become intelligent, smart and well-rounded, but that''s not the purpose of teaching.
The purpose of teaching is not to assure us of success or happiness. Teaching can do none of that. One may say he believes he can do anything he puts his mind to,but that's simply misplaced confidence. No one will accomplish something he never attempts, but that's another thing entirely. Yet even such urging is not the purpose of teaching.
So what is it? What is the ultimate purpose of teaching? And why is it so important for us to understand?
Once the Disciples were arrested for preaching, but during the night an angel of the Lord released them. When they returned to preach again, the apostles were forcible brought before the Sanhedrin, the full assembly of the elders of Israel. They were ordered to stop preching, and when the apostles refused, members of the Sanhedrin became furious and wanted to kill them. Then a man named Gamaliel stood.
Men of Israel,consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God. Acts 5:35-39
Because of these words, the Sanhedrin did not act to kill the Disciples. Intense anger was put aside as Gamaliel''s lesson moved them to think. Think about the facts at hand. Think about the past. Think about the consequences. Think about the very nature of their own actions. Think. Think. Think.
The purpose of teaching is to move us to think ! Gamaliel was a teacher. His words effectively persuaded these men to think. In the same way, Jesus is our Teacher. He did not come to force us to act or believe a certain way. He came to teach us the good news of a better way, so that by listening and learning we may better understand and know that He is God and He loves us. He wants us to think!
Look around. There are those, both secular and religious, who do not want their people to think. Instead, they lead them to do only as they are told. Such people use fear, emotion, arrogance and pride. They appear in many different forums, but their goal is always the same - to control. And people follow like cattle to the slaughter. They do not stop. They do not think. They only follow blindly.
Teaching is important. It is not a present job. It is a future investment. If we want people to come to Christ and become strong in the faith, they must learn how to think, how to study, how to learn. And in the meantime...we must pray...for all those in education and especially for those who teach.
Take care and be God's,
Chuck
Ciloa ... Encouraging one another as long as it is called Today!
Ciloa is a registered trademark of Ciloa, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
A Note of Encouragement is a copyright interest held by Ciloa, Inc.
It's an important question. The answer goes to the heart of many problems we face in this world. It transcends race, culture, income, gender, nationality, and age. It moves beyond time itself, traveling from creation through the pages of history to the future yet to come. It passes all religions, philosophies, ideologies, and beliefs. It gives substance to thought and purpose to action. And for those who claim to be Christian, the answer is what leads us to become the people God wants us to be.
Curious? To know the purpose of teaching, we must first understand what the purpose is not.
The purpose of teaching is not to fill our heads with information. Simply having information means nothing. Computers have information. I have a ridiculous amount of worthless information stuck in my brain that may help in a trivia contest, but that's about it. We may go through all levels of education and become intelligent, smart and well-rounded, but that''s not the purpose of teaching.
The purpose of teaching is not to assure us of success or happiness. Teaching can do none of that. One may say he believes he can do anything he puts his mind to,but that's simply misplaced confidence. No one will accomplish something he never attempts, but that's another thing entirely. Yet even such urging is not the purpose of teaching.
So what is it? What is the ultimate purpose of teaching? And why is it so important for us to understand?
Once the Disciples were arrested for preaching, but during the night an angel of the Lord released them. When they returned to preach again, the apostles were forcible brought before the Sanhedrin, the full assembly of the elders of Israel. They were ordered to stop preching, and when the apostles refused, members of the Sanhedrin became furious and wanted to kill them. Then a man named Gamaliel stood.
Men of Israel,consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God. Acts 5:35-39
Because of these words, the Sanhedrin did not act to kill the Disciples. Intense anger was put aside as Gamaliel''s lesson moved them to think. Think about the facts at hand. Think about the past. Think about the consequences. Think about the very nature of their own actions. Think. Think. Think.
The purpose of teaching is to move us to think ! Gamaliel was a teacher. His words effectively persuaded these men to think. In the same way, Jesus is our Teacher. He did not come to force us to act or believe a certain way. He came to teach us the good news of a better way, so that by listening and learning we may better understand and know that He is God and He loves us. He wants us to think!
Look around. There are those, both secular and religious, who do not want their people to think. Instead, they lead them to do only as they are told. Such people use fear, emotion, arrogance and pride. They appear in many different forums, but their goal is always the same - to control. And people follow like cattle to the slaughter. They do not stop. They do not think. They only follow blindly.
Teaching is important. It is not a present job. It is a future investment. If we want people to come to Christ and become strong in the faith, they must learn how to think, how to study, how to learn. And in the meantime...we must pray...for all those in education and especially for those who teach.
Take care and be God's,
Chuck
Ciloa ... Encouraging one another as long as it is called Today!
Ciloa is a registered trademark of Ciloa, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
A Note of Encouragement is a copyright interest held by Ciloa, Inc.