August 10: A Teachable Heart

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4:7

Life’s education continually affirms Yahweh’s love-gift of free will. As parents, Adam and Eve taught their children about Him and also of their experiment with choosing to disobey their trusted Friend. They must have wistfully remembered what it had been like before they sinned. Their compliance with the words of the serpent over Yahweh’s words had altered their relationship with Him. Even though He was deeply hurt by their disobedience, He readily assured them that a plan was in place that would allow them to move in the direction of full restoration. They came to understand the essential importance of following the right Instructor. The true Teacher made clear the reality of death and its connection with sin.

Cain and Abel were taught by their parents of the coming Savior, as evident in the bringing of sacrifices (vv.3-4). The words of Yahweh (above) spoken directly to Cain were for Cain’s benefit as well as ours. They were spoken to guide him back onto the correct path from the path of rebellion he had willfully chosen.

It’s fascinating to think that, from His own babyhood, Jesus was taught by His earthly parents the very words He Himself had spoken at Creation and at Mount Sinai. The writings of Moses, as given by Yahweh, had been shared orally for generations and faithfully recorded in writing to ensure them for future generations. Picture His mother holding and rocking Jesus as she spoke words that she had learned by heart. In many ways, His was an ordinary childhood. But, as evidenced by His interaction with religious teachers at the temple as a twelve-year-old (Luke 2:47), there is no doubt that He was in close communication with His heavenly Father. This story reveals that, though He came to earth as fully human, His obedience to His heavenly Father rendered Him receptive to knowledge and wisdom that was imparted directly to Him from heaven.

Later, our Lord Jesus—that Teacher of teachers—confirmed that our Father in heaven speaks to us when He detects a teachable heart that is inclined toward Him.

[Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 16:15-17