Several years ago when I had my first opportunities to speak/preach, my dad gave my some wise advice: “Don’t speak to the giraffes.”
Ummm…what?
Yes. Don’t speak the giraffes.
Sounds kind of crazy, right? Well, not exactly. The idea actually came from one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons:
“A farmer one day, after he had listened to a simple sermon, which was the very opposite of what he generally heard, exclaimed, “O Lord, we bless thee that the food was put into a low crib to-day, so that thy sheep could reach it!” Some brethren put the food up so high that the poor sheep cannot possibly feed upon it. I have thought as I have listened to our eloquent friends, that they imagined that our Lord had said, “Feed my [giraffes].” None but giraffes could reach the food when placed in so lofty a rack. Christ says, “Feed my sheep,” place the food among them, put it close to them.”
When it comes to preaching and teaching, one of the most important elements is knowing your audience. So often we either preach and teach above or below our audience. In my own case, I had just come back from a year of biblical training at college. My dad’s warning was a good one. It reminded me not to let what I had learned turn into arrogance. While I wanted to sound profound, I had to make sure I was seeking to lead God’s sheep and not try to impress people with big words to which I barely knew the definition. Let’s face it: the only reason I knew those words or concepts was because I had to memorize them for a Systematic Theology test the week before.
This concept is an ongoing struggle for myself and many others, and will always be a struggle as long as we are teaching and preaching God’s Word. We are called to lead God’s sheep; not try to tickle the ears of people who are much smarter than we are by reciting what we read in our Study Bible a few days earlier.
Understanding God’s Word shouldn’t be like trying to understand quantum physics or ace Jeopardy.
Teachers and preachers, let’s lead the flock that is hungry for the Word.
(Special thanks to blogofdan.co.uk for the Spurgeon quote)
Tags: Charles Spurgeon, Giraffes, Preaching, Teaching