Have you ever met someone who thought that they had it all together? So confident that after spending just a few minutes with them, they start to reek of arrogance? The stronger the smell, the less teachable they are. When you offer to teach them something, anything, they respond with, “Yeah, yeah, I got it,” but they don’t. This line of thinking is extremely dangerous because the one who is not teachable cannot be led by the Holy Spirit.
Teachability is essential to living in the presence of God. In fact, it’s beyond essential, it’s a prerequisite. You must be teachable in order to abide in the presence of God. A heart closed to learning cannot receive His guidance or dwell in His presence.
Child-like Dependency
In Matthew 19:13-14, we read:
“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’ And he laid his hands on them and went away.”
Jesus welcomed children because their humility and trust reflect the heart needed to receive His kingdom. As believers, our approach to the Father ought to be like little children, with an attitude that says, “I don’t know it all, or even have it altogether, and I need your help, Lord.” This posture of dependency opens your heart to God’s voice. It is this very posture that allows us to inherit the Kingdom. Jesus was revealing the key to inheriting the kingdom of heaven. By nature, children are born dependent. The independent are just that, not reliant on the Holy Spirit. These are the “Yeah, yeah, I got it” people, and unfortunately, this attitude is very prominent. It’s the heart of man. Pride does not lay hold of the Kingdom, child-like dependency does. When you embrace humility, you position yourself to receive God’s guidance and live in His presence.
The Danger of an Unteachable Heart
I once knew a man who was graciously offered an opportunity to serve in a church. He gratefully accepted this position, however, though he had zero experience, he was even offered a mentorship. After three weeks, he was fired. Why? He was not teachable and literally stated, “Yeah, yeah, I got it.” This attitude closed the door to growth and severed his opportunity to serve. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” An unteachable heart rejects correction and misses God’s plan. When you dismiss guidance, you align with foolishness, not wisdom.
Learning from the Unexpected
Let’s assume for a moment that you are an expert in your field. Let’s say that someone with very little, if any, experience came up to you and tried to teach you something that they had just learned themselves. What is your posture? Do you glean what you can from them, even from this inexperienced newbie? A teachable heart listens, regardless of the source, because God can speak through anyone.
Let me put it another way. If you don’t allow the idiot to teach you, you are worse off than that idiot. At least the idiot is giving what he has. If you treat his gift with contempt, you’ve just exposed the true nature of your heart. Whose heart is more righteous, the one who humbly shares or the one whose pride says, “He’s not worthy of me”? Humility welcomes instruction, even from unlikely sources, because it trusts God to teach through all circumstances.
Teachability Is Not Limited To The Small Things
Teachability is not limited to the big things in life. If you are not teachable with small day-to-day issues that you encounter, for example, accepting the counsel of a mentor or taking advice from your Mom and Dad, you won’t be teachable when your employer offers constructive criticism, or more importantly, you will reject the voice of the Holy Spirit because you’ve “got it.” If, however, you are teachable with the smaller day-to-day issues that arise, when the big issues hit hard, and they will, humility will embrace them, and you will learn from them because you will accept them as your teacher. This posture pleases the Holy Spirit. Teachability attracts the kingdom of heaven. For instance, when you accept correction on a small task at work, you practice humility, preparing your heart to hear the Holy Spirit in bigger moments, like forgiving a deep hurt.
Cultivating a Teachable Heart
How do you cultivate teachability? Start by humbling yourself before God each day. Psalm 25:5 says, “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Make this your prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to lead you. Listen to others with an open heart, even when their advice seems simple or beneath you. Reflect on your responses to correction. Do you bristle or embrace it? A teachable heart seeks God’s wisdom in every interaction, trusting Him to shape your character. This posture invites His presence and transforms your life.
The Reward of Teachability
Teachability positions you to live in God’s presence. When you remain open to His teaching, you grow closer to Him, and His Spirit works through you to bless others. Imagine the impact of a life marked by humility and openness. Your words, actions, and attitude will reflect Jesus, drawing others to Him. So, reject the “Yeah, yeah, I got it” mindset. Embrace child-like dependency, and let the Holy Spirit lead you into the fullness of God’s kingdom.