Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. (James 3:1-3)

A colleague once remarked that he had listened to me present an hourlong webinar and didn’t once hear me say “uh.” He asked how I did it, and I answered that I did it on purpose. I practice my presentation skills constantly.

We who teach aim “to make no mistakes in teaching,” even though we know all too well our own failings. We know we are not always able to “keep the whole body in check.”

Because we who teach practice how to present ourselves and our subjects, we may create a picture of ourselves in our hearers’ minds that is more polished, more poised than our true self.

James reminds us essentially not to believe our own press releases or our own Facebook statuses.

We who teach will be judged with greater strictness because the distance between our facade and our failings is so much greater.

Though I do not like being judged or corrected, I realize that it is a necessary part of becoming the best teacher I can be, a man who is at one with his subject and at peace with himself.

I am thankful for those around me whose judgment, correction, and insight provides me with the rigor and strictness I need in my life as a teacher.

Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church … So with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church. (1 Cor. 14:1-2, 12)

We’ve been reading for just over three weeks now from the book of Ecclesiasticus, or “The Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach.”

As he finishes his writing, he says “While I was young, before I went on my travels I sought wisdom openly in my prayer. Before the temple I asked for her, and I will search for her until the end” (Sirach 51:13).

Sirach and Paul emphasize two paired attitudes — striving and sharing — in their teaching about spiritual gifts, and they both stress that prophecy and wisdom are not to be kept to oneself but to be used for the building up of the faithful.

“Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts,” says Paul. “My heart was stirred to seek her; therefore I have gained a prize possession,” says Sirach.

Sirach didn’t keep his learning to himself; he invited fellow seekers to “lodge in the house of instruction” (51:23) and learn from him about wisdom. Paul directed the Corinthians not just to speak in tongues but to prophesy with interpretation, so that the whole church would profit from each person’s gift.

What wisdom have you found in your seeking after God? What has your practice of prayer taught you? How might you share what you have learned with others in order to build them up, encourage them, or console them?

But I shall always wait in patience,
and shall praise you more and more. (Psalm 71:14)

Waiting in Patience

Aside from the obvious pun, this verse struck me because we are so eager to rush to judgment these days.

This new thing is amazing, appalling, the best ever, the worst imaginable. We are not good at taking a longer view, waiting to see what happens, digesting before we plunge in.

Several members of my church are in Jerusalem for a class at St. George’s College on “The Palestine of Jesus.” In their first lecture they were reminded that God is already in the places we go, and if we rush through them too quickly we may miss the signs of his presence.

They write:

This is very important for Pilgrims who come to Jerusalem and want to “rush rush rush” to see everything right away.  Many who come go right to the High Holy places without taking time to “stand in the gates of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122).  When we don’t take the time to rest in God’s presence and instead want to press forward because “God has called me to do all this work” we do not understand the Way of God.

Praising God More and More

Yesterday morning the reading from Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) ended on this note:

We could say more, but could never say enough; let the final word be: “He is the all.” Where can we find the strength to praise him? For he is greater than all his works. (Sirach 43:27-28)

Our daily pattern of prayer and reading of Scripture helps reinforce this understanding.

Whatever concerns we bring with us, God is already there. However large our problems loom, God is greater. No matter how urgent or drastic or final the circumstances appear, “God is the all.”

But I shall always wait in patience,
and shall praise you more and more.

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. (Luke 11:42)

When we pray the Collect for Grace on Wednesday mornings, we thank God for preserving us in safety and pray “that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity.” We also pray that “in all we do,” God will “direct us to the fulfilling of [his] purpose” (BCP 100).

The president of my company recently shared a simple barometer by which he evaluates actions — plus-one, zero, or minus-one. That is to say, is any given action positive for the company, neutral, or negative?

In the language of the New Testament, Paul urges us to “build one another up in love,” a plus-one activity for sure. When he writes in Romans about how “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Paul calls out our minus-ones.

Jesus’ criticism today is even more subtle. What the Pharisees do is technically correct, but it has a minus-one effect. What the lawyers do serves only to build themselves up, and so it is also a minus-one.

Discerning God’s will for our lives, and aligning ourselves with that purpose, is not always simple — each of us is called to a particular life and a special ministry “to those among whom we live, and work, and worship” (BCP 543) — but taking time each day to check our direction is critical.

In our morning devotions, we set our sights on the plus-ones. In our evening reflection, we frankly acknowledge the minus-ones. Day by day we check in and “true up.”

In all we do, Lord, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose. Amen.

If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose. (Ecclus. 15:15)

It was a special treat to say Morning Prayer today with my mom, and we will definitely do it again the next time I visit. We had not thought to do it on previous visits, but she made a conscious decision to ask me this time.

This morning’s wisdom from Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) is all about discipline, about making conscious decisions to act faithfully.

When we fail to choose consciously, when we act instead on impulse or autopilot, we may not live up to the faithfulness we desire. When we act on impulse, we may not consider the impact our actions will have on others.

When we sin (the word we use for falling short), we must make the decision to turn around and try again. Turning around, becoming more conscious of our actions, is not always easy, and it often helps to have someone you love or a friend you trust to help you see more clearly what you know you want to do.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and did not conceal my guilt.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin. (Psalm 32:5-6)

“To act faithfully is a matter of your own choice,” says Sirach, and it’s a choice we must make each day.