Of First Importance: What Excites Us?
» S.D. Smith
“If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.
“If the gospel—even when you are orthodox—becomes something which you primarily assume, but what you are excited about is what you are doing in some sort of social reconstruction, you will be teaching the people that you influence that the gospel really isn’t all that important. You won’t be saying that—you won’t even mean that—but that’s what you will be teaching. And then you are only half a generation away from losing the gospel.
“Make sure that in your own practice and excitement, what you talk about, what you think about, what you pray over, what you exude confidence over, joy over, what you are enthusiastic about is Jesus, the gospel, the cross. And out of that framework, by all means, let the transformed life flow.”
D.A. Carson
Boy, is this super challenging, or what? And so true. This really hits me full on as a father. In so many ways I am tasked with tone-setting in our home. I hope and pray that the Gospel is the song, the story, and everything else issues from there. -Sam
December 14th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I’m half a generation from losing the gospel.
December 14th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Wow. This is good stuff.
December 14th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Hoo. Convicting and refreshing.
December 14th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Great quote. I’m hoping to steal it in the near future.
December 17th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Thanks for this powerful reminder. My youngest brother is one of those people who lives, eats and breathes the Gospel. His passion works up the food chain on me, big time. I need that and love him (and Him) for it.
January 16th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
This is so crucial. So true. Great words about the need for proclaiming Christ and the Gospel as the reason for social reconstruction.
February 22nd, 2011 at 1:57 pm
[...] Breann wisely points us back to this quotation by D.A. Carson on the subject. This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 at 8:00 am and is [...]