Teach without offending anyone

You cannot inspire your neighbors unless they like you. Do not force your way to their hearts. Establish close rapport with them. They will learn faster if their hearts are open to what you have to say.

¹⁹ Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a [bond]slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the Law I became like one under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law), so as to win those who are under the Law. ²¹ To those not having the Law I became like one not having the Law (though I am not free from God’s Law but am under the Messiah’s law), so as to win those not having the Law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 1 CORINTHIANS 9

¹⁵ Do not let anyone despise you. TITUS 2 

³ We try to live in such a way that no one will ever be offended or kept back from finding the Lord by the way we act, so that no one can find fault with us and blame it on the Lord. ⁴ In fact, in everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure suffering and hardship and trouble of every kind. ⁵ We have been beaten, put to jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, stayed awake through sleepless nights of watching, and gone without food. ⁶ We have proved ourselves to be what we claim by our wholesome lives and by our understanding of the Gospel and by our patience. We have been kind and truly loving and filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁷ We have been truthful, with God’s power helping us in all we do. All of the godly man’s arsenal—weapons of defense, and weapons of attack—have been ours. ⁸ We stand true to the Lord whether others honor us or despise us, whether they criticize us or commend us. 2 CORINTHIANS 6 tlb

Encourage your listeners to interrupt you and ask questions. The Son of Man did; likewise the rabbis (teachers, masters, lords) of His time. Allowing questions to be asked is to your advantage. The minds of your listeners will be cleared of doubts, misconceptions and false teachings. This is important considering that your listeners today will most likely be the teachers of tomorrow. The question-and-answer will give more weight to your teaching. The questions will reveal weak points in your presentation, and allow you to improve them.   

Refute reactions without shaming the reactors or passing judgment on them. Nobody wants to be embarrassed especially in front of other people. Do not quarrel with the reactors because, for all you know, the silent ones in the group could be given to the same wrong beliefs. Your purpose is to win souls, not alienate them.

⁵⁰ Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other. MARK 9

¹ Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. ROMANS 14

⁹ Be careful not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin. 1 CORINTHIANS 8 tev

¹ We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³ For even the Messiah did not please Himself but as it is written: The insults of those who insult you have fallen on Me. ROMANS 15

⁹ Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the Law, because these are unprofitable and useless. TITUS 3

Listen intently to each of the reactions. Try to understand where it is coming from. Make a probe by asking intelligent questions. Think in front of your listeners; make them wait, if necessary. Digest well their reaction and answers. Then unfold your explanation in clear, simple terms.

⁵ Take captive every thought to make it obedient in the Messiah. 2 CORINTHIANS 10

⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. COLOSSIANS 4

²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. JUDE

Again we say it: How you deliver your teaching is just as important as the answer itself. Your voice projection, body language and facial expression should be edifying, sincere and full of conviction.  

²¹ Pleasant words promote instruction. PROVERBS 16

¹⁵ Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in the Messiah may be ashamed of their slander. 1 PETER 3

²³ Again I say, don’t… upset people and make them angry. ²⁴ God’s people must not be quarrelsome; they must be gentle, patient teachers of those who are wrong. ²⁵ Be humble when you are trying to teach those who are mixed up concerning the truth. For if you talk meekly and courteously to them they are more likely, with God’s help, to turn away from their wrong ideas and believe what is true. ²⁶ Then they will come to their senses and escape from Satan’s trap of slavery to sin (which he uses to catch them whenever he likes), and then they can begin doing the will of God. 2 TIMOTHY 2 tlb (Parenthesis supplied)

⁷ The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. JAMES 3

⁹ Love must be sincere. ROMANS 12

In summary, this is how to teach:

³ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴ Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, yet we live on; beaten, yet not killed; ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 CORINTHIANS 6  

¹⁰ Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another? MALACHI 2