People Are Funny

Around 9 years ago, I began teaching Sunday School in our former church. Now, before you fall asleep--this was different. We didn't just sit in a sad little circle on icy fold-up chairs and read from an archaic Sunday School quarterly until the buzzer rang and then afterward, pretend it had been one big ol' anointed time.

No.

Instead, five of us took turns teaching once every five weeks, sharing from our hearts and from behind the pulpit in the auditorium to 30 (or more) people. And it was fun! Our church was experiencing renewal and nearly everyone was changing and learning and growing--those were exciting times, indeed.

Well, anyway, I'd taken a couple turns teaching and people seemed to like it ok, but our pastor told me one night during a prayer meeting that my messages would be better if I'd be more human. More honest. If I'd expose some of my faults and share how God was helping me overcome them. And right there in front of the others, he said he would be grading me the next time I taught.

And ok... even though I didn't think he was even right on target about this--me, being me, decided to take him up on his challenge. If he wanted honest, huh! I'd show him honest! (And you thought *you* were stubborn?)

So the next time I taught, the majority of my lesson was a "don't let this happen to you" type of message. Each of my main thoughts were centered around some funny story of mistakes I'd made. Like the way I'd been so shy, that in city libraries I used to walk only behind the bookshelves, never through the room's center, rather than have people look at me... And how when we moved here to our new state, I'd felt like people were singing and dancing in the streets--I was so looking forward to non-depressing, non-Nevada years.... And how I used to yell at Tom about closing our closet door--until one day God told me to just shut-up and close the door myself(!)

Guess what grade my pastor gave me? An A+. He told me, "Yes! That's exactly what I meant. Share from your heart and your experiences as well as the Bible. Blend them all together and BE REAL."

And too, people came up to me afterward and said that my message had helped them. They'd loved the humor and they identified closely with my stories.

That was a huge turning point for me. I began joking that I'd discovered the simple way to be a successful Bible teacher-- Just spill your guts, add a little humor, and be willing to look like an idiot. And then, using the Bible, show others that if God could help you, He can certainly help them, too.

It works for teachers. It works for bloggers, too. I know because I'm still using that formula today.

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Before we can share honestly with other people, we first must become honest with ourselves--and with God.