READING: Song of Solomon 7-8, Psalm 127, 2 Thessalonians 2
I love teaching. I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten, and God has graciously given me that opportunity. That’s not to suggest, though, that teaching is never hard. Some days, I wonder if I’m getting through to my students. We’re from different generations, so I have to think about how to connect with them. And, I’m afraid that some students don’t always listen well. They don’t always remember today what I tried to teach them yesterday.
Paul apparently knew something about that, too, in his relationship with the Thessalonians. He had taught them about the coming of the Lord. He had seemingly explained to them over and over again about details of His coming, but the Thessalonians still found themselves led astray by false teachers. I can just hear Paul’s thinking aloud when he wrote these words, “Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this?” (2 Thess 2:5). “Don’t you remember” seem to be common words for many teachers.
But, Paul lovingly reminded his readers what he had previously taught them. He might have been frustrated a bit with them, but he did what good teachers do: he taught them again. Teaching sometimes means teaching over and over again, especially when you believe your message really matters.
PRAYER: “Help me, Lord, to be a patient teacher.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Kings 5, 2 Chronicles 2, 2 Thessalonians 3