You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have
Today's Scripture
Acts 18:26 (NASB95)
And he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Cowboy Wisdom
There's an old saying on a working cattle ranch: you can't pull water from a dry well. A cowboy can work himself to exhaustion hauling that bucket up and down, but if there's no water down below, all that effort produces nothing. The same truth applies to teaching the Word of God. A preacher or teacher who hasn't spent time in Scripture, who hasn't sat quietly before the Lord and allowed the Word to soak deep into his soul, has nothing real to give the folks sitting in front of him. He may be enthusiastic. He may be entertaining. But he's pulling from a dry well.
Apollos was sincere — and sincerity matters. But sincerity without truth is like a compass that points the wrong direction with great confidence. Priscilla and Aquila didn't embarrass him publicly or run him off. They pulled him aside with grace and filled in what was missing. That's the mark of mature believers — they correct with humility and love, not with pride. And Apollos, to his great credit, received the correction and went on to become a powerful minister of the full gospel. A teachable spirit is one of the greatest gifts a man or woman can bring to God.
If you are in any position of teaching — whether that's a Sunday school class, a small group, raising children, or even a one-on-one conversation about faith — the responsibility is real. Your ignorance doesn't stay with you. It travels. It gets passed on to every soul who sits under your influence. That's not meant to scare you away from serving, but to drive you to your knees and into your Bible every single day. Fill your well deep, so that when folks come thirsty, you've got something worth giving them.
Questions for Reflection
What does your current rhythm of Bible study look like? Is it consistent enough to keep your 'well' full?
Have you ever been in a position where you taught or shared something that later turned out to be incomplete? How did that experience shape you?
How can you cultivate a teachable spirit like Apollos, remaining open to correction without feeling threatened?
Prayer Focus
Father, remind me daily that I cannot give what I do not have. Drive me into Your Word with urgency and delight. Make me a faithful student before I am ever a teacher. Give me the grace of Priscilla and Aquila when I need to correct others, and the humility of Apollos when I am the one who needs correcting. May everything that flows from my mouth be rooted in Your truth. In Jesus' name, Amen.
