Maturity

Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding. - Proverbs 9:6 

 

     Later this week I will be speaking to some of my students about several life issues. One of the main issues is immaturity. As I searched for verses today I was convicted about my own immaturity. The main problems I face as a teacher are students talking in class, not listening to instructions, and speaking Chinese instead of English. So often I am consumed with talking about me and my life and what I want, instead of talking about what God wants. I'm doing way too much talking and never enough listening. This brings me to the second point: listening to instructions. I get so upset with my student's entire lack of attention sometimes. How much better am I? Am I listening to God? Am I following His instructions? God tells me so plainly what He wants done on a daily basis and I play dumb and plod along in my own world. The third point seems a little odd. Being in an American school in Taiwan means that we are all English, and the goal is for all of our students to be comfortable and fluent in English as well. However, in their daily conversations, my students prefer to speak in their mother tongue rather than practice their English skills. How does this relate to me? Well, I find that I often want to speak and act the way I used to act. I want to speak the language and live the life I had before I knew God's "language." It's so much easier to fall back into what I know rather than work hard at the new life. Proverbs says, "forsake foolishness." I need to get over my foolishness and immaturity and start acting like a spiritual "man."