A major challenge in understanding truth is that of being teachable. A person may find it difficult to accept truth from someone who appears to be lowly, yet the apostles of Jesus were unlettered and “ordinary” men (acts 4:13) Explaining why, Paul wrote: “You behold his calling of you, brothers, that not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, and not many of noble birth, but g-d chose the foolish things of the world, that he may put the wise men to shame.”

If you find that being taught by a lowly person challenges your humility, remember he or she is merely the means used by g-d to teach you.
What privilege could be greater than to learn this?

There is a story of a Syrian military commander who found it challenging to receive instruction from a lowly one. Seeking a cure for his leprosy, he went to see the prophet Elisha, but g-d’s instructions for a cure were relayed to him through a servant. The message and the way it was presented challenged his humility, so that he at first refused to obey the word of g-d’s prophet. Later, he changed his attitude and was healed. You may learn that to be cured spiritually and morally, you need to follow a new way of life. You will have the humility to allow someone to teach you what you need to do. So only those with a teachable attitude can enjoy truth.

One such fine attitude was displayed by a man in power under Candace, queen of Ethiopians. When he was returning to Africa in his chariot the disciple Philip ran alongside approached him, and asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The official was humble enough to reply: “How could i ever do so, unless someone guided me?” Upon gaining an understanding of g-d’s word, that man was baptized. After that, he kept going on his way rejoicing (acts 8: 27-39).

There are many among you who read this and go on in their usual ways but it is vital to understand this, read carefully each time he healed someone, it was the attitude of them in need of healing.

Think about those moments when someone pointed you to something in order to help you learn something, when you said “yes” but you.…

The next article we will talk about food, and other outer things we have come to follow in the name of religion. There was a time when it was said an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Then Jesus came and said this time is passed, if one hits you on your left cheek then turn him your other cheek to, but I say to you this time has passed too, … but this will be explained in the next chapter.

16-05-2006

Moshiya van den Broek