The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Colossians 3:12-13, “And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of

compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord

forgave you, so also should you.”

Teaching doesn’t come easily. Universities have education programs that purport to demonstrate how to teach; nevertheless, graduates of those programs learn quickly that theories don’t always work. For one thing, students have to be programmed into those equations, and it is virtually impossible to predetermine how students will react to teaching.

In more than 40 years of teaching at the baccalaureate and graduate levels, I am convinced that teachers are born, not simply trained, although training has its values. All good teaching utilizes both negative and positive instruction.

Teaching also involves lifestyle. Students will observe what you do more than they will what you say for them to do.

In verses previous to our verses above, the Apostle Paul instructs his readers negatively; that is, he has told them what things are not to be a part of their Christian lives. Subsequently, he instructs them what things are to be a part of their spiritual lives.

God chooses from among His people those who are “holy and beloved.” He wants them to show compassion and kindness to others, along with genuine humility, gentleness and patience. Those are the qualities of a good teacher.

“Bearing with one another” relates to putting up with the present offences or failures of those we’re seeking to teach.

“Forgiving each other” relates to past offences or failures of those we’re seeking to teach. The key here is forgiveness.

Years ago, someone close to me was involved in a dispute without being granted a proper hearing. I was hugely offended because the man ultimately responsible for adjudication of the matter, I considered a close friend. It was years before I forgave him for not dealing fairly in the dispute. He was in the wrong, but I was more in the wrong than he, because I had not exercised forgiveness. Don’t let that happen to you! Be quick to forgive! After all, the LORD has

forgiven us; now, we should be quick to forgive others. Learn this lesson by instruction, not by experience!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please remember to pray for Whitney Tilson. He is said to be meeting with Franklin Graham in the near future.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”