Learning Before Leading, Part 1 | A Teachable Spirit

Key Thought | A teachable spirit positions us to grow, mature, and receive what God is preparing to entrust to us.

Key Scripture | “Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend… but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.” —Exodus 33:11 (NLT)

This devotional begins a three-part reflection on what it means to live with a teachable spirit and why that posture is so closely connected to lasting success in God’s Kingdom.

Before Joshua ever led God’s people, he learned how to linger. While Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, Joshua stayed behind. He wasn’t the one God addressed, but he was close enough to witness the exchange. And that mattered. A teachable spirit doesn’t demand the spotlight; it values proximity. Joshua wanted what he witnessed, and he positioned himself to receive it—not by striving, but by staying.

There is something deeply formative about remaining near God’s presence when nothing is required of us. Joshua didn’t know his future role, yet he treated the moment as sacred. He allowed faith to be formed quietly, patiently, without urgency. Growth happened long before leadership did.

Hebrews reminds us that maturity is not accidental. It requires movement, willingness, and humility. A teachable spirit doesn’t resist growth by clinging to comfort or familiarity. It leans forward, trusting that God develops depth before He grants responsibility.

This is where success truly begins—not with recognition, but with attentiveness. God strengthens those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. Joshua’s commitment was not loud, but it was lasting. And in the quiet, God was shaping a leader who would one day carry great responsibility.

As you reflect today, consider where God might be inviting you to linger rather than rush. Success in God’s Kingdom doesn’t begin with visibility; it begins with attentiveness. Choose to stay close to His presence, even when no one is watching. Trust that what God is forming in you privately will matter deeply in the future.

Prayer | Lord, give me a teachable spirit. Help me to remain humble, attentive, and faithful in the places that feel quiet or unseen. Teach me to value Your presence more than position, and to trust that You are shaping me even when no one else is watching. Grow me into maturity as I stay close to You. Amen.

Reflections

• Where might God be inviting me to stay close rather than rush ahead?
• Am I willing to learn in seasons of anonymity?
• What does spiritual maturity look like in my current season?

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