stephen R Harrison

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” -Psalm 25:4-5

My favorite teacher in Jr. High was Mr. Barnes. He was very personal, caring, and an incredible teacher. I was in a program called Math Counts that competed in mathematic problems with other schools. Because of my lack of preparation, I was dropped from the team. Then, one day in class, I raised my hand and solved a math problem on the board in front the class I had previously been unable to. He said, “Can I see you in the hallway for a second?” He then asked me to rejoin the team and offered extra help if I would commit to studying. There was still much I didn’t understand, but his grace and trust gave me confidence and encouragement to do what I could not on my own.

In Psalm 25, God is described as a teacher and guide. Verses 5 and 6 remind us he does so with hope, mercy, and love. Mr. Barnes demonstrated the godly qualities to me, and we should do that for others in many ways. As good as my teacher was, he was imperfect like all of us in those and every other quality. Those characteristics originate with God. He is the only one who could “not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways” (v. 7). He is “good and upright, therefore he instructs sinners in his ways”.

We need the faultless ways and truths from the Lord in our lives. His instruction is more than “learn this to pass the test”. Most of my post-graduate education was distant, online, and impersonal. I learned, but without much interaction from teachers except to give grades. If I could change one thing about those ten years of education, it would have more in person training. My style of learning is visual. I learn better when someone shows me how to do something, and I hear it, see it, talk about it, and talk it out. Thank God he’s not far from us, but draws near in every way as we ask him for help and guidance.

We have a God that shows us his path (v. 4), gives hope (v. 5), grants mercy and love (v. 6), forgives sin (v. 7), and is good and upright (v. 8). Because of his character, he is close and personal. He desires to walk with us. One condition for his instruction is our humility. Verse 9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them in his way.” If we are prideful, we cannot be taught by anyone. If we believe “we know it all”, we won’t receive any instruction from the Lord. We must examine our hearts and let the Lord search them as well. We must have the attitude when we come to the Lord and say, “Teach us, Lord. We humble ourselves to receive your direction in all areas of life.”