Our epistle this past Sunday was from the third chapter of James. As a math teacher (now retired) I always found James 3:1 to be bothersome; I’d think, “Is this talking about me?” It reads, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know we who teach will be judged more strictly.” I think that this is because what the teachers pass on must be correct and well-presented for it will have an impact on many.

There have also been other secular sayings that have bothered the teacher in me. One is by the playwright George Bernard Shaw who said, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” In my experience, this rarely applied; most of my colleagues were very good at math. I think, however, that the Shaw quote was primarily concerned with the arts and more pointed at critics than teachers, critics who made scathing comments about creative people whose work they could never hope to duplicate. The comedian Woody Allen extended the comment to, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. And those who can’t teach, teach gym.” This comment, while funny, probably didn’t please many gym teachers. In keeping with what I think was Shaw’s intent, I would change the quote to, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach, and those who can’t teach, can appreciate the creations of those who can.”

The verse from James is primarily concerned with religious teaching, which presents another problem; it is warning against hypocrisy. For example, I could never be a minister. How could I teach other people how to live their lives, when I have trouble living my own? How could I tell others not to sin, when I am a sinner? Sometimes I have the same worry when writing this blog. Even if we’re not ministers, or bloggers, the verse still applies to us with its warning of hypocrisy, for there will be times when we will have to explain or defend our faith. Fortunately, we have a god who in Luke 12:11-12 promises us help. It says “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at the time what you should say.” Remember that this God will always support you and loves YOU unconditionally.

Jim