Are You Teachable?

Written on 07/06/2022
Christian Dunn

2

Verse: Acts 18:24-26

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Thoughts
Have you ever met a real "know it all?" Someone who just thinks they know everything and seem to like to show others that this is true? Kind of annoying right?

What I like about this passage is that Apollos comes into town and he's clearly a very smart dude. It says he was "learned" and a "thorough knowledge of the Scriptures." He's a preacher, so we can assume he's got some confidence too (it's hard to get up and preach in front of people if you don't!). 

And then out of nowhere these two strangers tell him that he really still has a lot to learn. Are you surprised by his response? I could see a lot of people resisting these two out of pride: "who do you think you are? Don't you know how much I've studied?!" But no, what we see in Apollos is a teachable heart. 

That is the thought for today from Scripture. Do you and I have teachable hearts? Are we willing to be corrected lovingly when we are "off" in our beliefs about God, our understanding about the Bible, or just about life in general? Are we willing to let someone speak truth into our lives, even if it's a little humbling?

Having a teachable heart requires humility. It requires not thinking too much of ourselves. It requires being willing to admit when we are wrong. In short: it is not easy. But God "opposes the proud" and "shows favor to the humble" (James 4:6).

Today, ask yourself, "do I have a teachable heart?" Am I walking in humility? Am I willing to be challenged, and to change? See, God wants to continue to refine you and shape you into his image and character—and sometimes it will require other people sitting us down and speaking truth into our lives. We'll need to be open to it!

Prayer
God, I know you want me to become more like you. I pray you'd help me to be humble enough to receive instruction when I need it!