“Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22, NASB)
Brandel Chamblee talked recently on the Golf Channel about great golf teachers. Chamblee believes great teachers take a good player and make him great. He referenced the work of Chris O’Connell and Jim Hardy. Chamblee explained that their teaching has propelled Matt Kuchar from a good player to a great player.
Consider this. From 2004 to 2006, Kuchar had no wins and a total of seven top-25 finishes. In fact, he spent a good part of 2006 on the now Web.com Tour. In 2007, he started working with Jim Hardy and Chris O’Connell. In 2008 alone, he had eight top-25 finishes, and from 2009 to 2014, he averaged 16 top-25 finishes a year and six total victories. He is currently number 12 in the world golf rankings.
Chamblee went on to say, “The great teacher encourages the student to actually adopt his teaching and make those changes needed. The student applies wholeheartedly the lessons taught and [is] willing to be changed.” A willing student believes in the teacher enough to abandon their way and adopt the new way of the teacher.
On the spiritual level, this reminds me to remind you of the greatest teacher of all time—Jesus. Why do I say this? It is because I have seen in others and experienced in my own life a real change that was initiated by accepting and adopting the teachings of this Jewish carpenter. When the heart is truly changed, our body and our life follow in obedience. Our faith becomes our lifestyle.
I have learned that when we apply biblical truth to our life, and really care for others, think of the least of these, give more than we receive, pray more than we worry, and love our neighbor as ourselves, this modest life becomes a changed life for the glory of God. When we abandon our way and adopt the way of the ultimate Teacher, then the result is change, joy, and peace.
Why did Jesus come to be our teacher? I think He knew then there would be so much misinformation and confusion always. We desperately need to know the absolute truth. Jesus came to be the teacher of this truth: “Therefore Pilate said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice’” (John 18:37).
Jesus knows that a good teacher can take a very difficult subject and articulate it in such a way that all can understand. He told simple truths that the most learned and even the children could understand. Jesus’ message is the same for the drug addict, the seminary student, as well as the grade school student. The common denominator is the fact that they all have become aware of their need and are willing to be changed. And remember, God does the changing. We simply become a willing vessel. We are changed and God gets the credit.
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Randy Wolff
March 4, 2015
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.