Lesson 7 instructed the RABCC staff about how to diagnose and treat the reading problem of unwillingness. The counselors learned unwillingness is synonymous with stubbornness or rebellion and it is the most easily recognizable of the three
spiritually based reading problems. Whether a person’s rebellion is overt or covert, the material emphasized the counselee can make great strides in this area, should he be serious about his walk with God.
To prepare for the class, throughout the previous week, the students were to complete a Bible study that they could, in turn, give to their counselee who is rebellious.
The homework text focused on King Saul’s rebellion against God which was made known to him by Samuel the prophet (1 Sam 15:10-23). The students were given some questions to help them work through the passage in order to draw out the principle of rebellion. What was the event that prompted Saul’s rebellion? Who pronounced to Saul
84
that he was wrong, and on whose behalf was this person speaking? What exactly did Saul do that revealed his rebellion to God? To which other sins does God equate rebellion?
What was the consequence of Saul’s rebellion? Why does God take rebellion so
seriously? What might be some consequences if one chooses to remain rebellious about reading the Bible? The discussion was lively as the students revealed the findings of their Bible study and this inductive learning method was a refreshing approach to the material.
The class instruction concluded with the important dynamic of pride and its manifestation as rebellion. Pride is a critical characteristic, keeping one in the doldrums of apathy, laziness, or rebellion. The rebellious counselee must become humble, setting his prideful tendencies aside for the sake of his own spiritual good. In fact, there is not a single area of a person’s life that remains unaffected by the pride resonating deep within.
Unfortunately, this counselee will not get far until he has mastered the desirable
characteristic of humility. As the counselor deals with the counselee’s rebellion, he will need to draw out the pride that is often the root of someone’s stubbornness towards God or others (Ps 81:1-16). Lesson 7 concluded the three spiritually based reading problems of apathy, laziness, and unwillingness.
Lesson 8 Review
Lesson 8 began the focus of the remaining classes, which was understanding, diagnosing, and compensating for actual physically-based reading disabilities. The rationale proved the RABCC counselors faced the dilemma of not knowing how to use the Bible in counseling someone is unable to read. The rationale also determined the RABCC and those within the Biblical Counseling movement at large can continue to expect to see reading disabled counselees within their respective counseling ministries.
85
The lesson 8 objective was to teach the RABCC staff some general principles about reading disabilities. The goal was to give the biblical counselor confidence and ability in helping those whom they had previously been fearful or unable to help due to a reading disability on the part of the counselee. The class began by having students answer, “What are some different kinds of reading disabilities?” The answers were varied, but most had a rudimentary understanding of dyslexia. Other answers included ADD, ADHD, and mental retardation. I cautioned the students that these fall into the broader category of learning disabilities, instead of specific reading disabilities.
Surprisingly, no student offered limited sight or blindness as a disability, but they grew to understand this condition as a reading disability through the discussion time and the instruction material. The class also discussed the dynamic of an adult who never learned how to read or who reads at a child’s level at best, which is termed illiteracy.
As a biblical counselor, I shared how reading disabilities have been a challenge in my counseling experience. Thus far, I attempted to counsel a dyslexic, two adults who read at a child’s level, an elderly woman who could not see well, and a businessman who could not spell or comprehend written material very well. I was somewhat limited in some of these situations, and the difficulties I experienced helped to solidify, in my thinking, the need for the class.
The class material served as a grid through which the biblical counselor could analyze any previous diagnosis the counselee received, whether from a physician or counselor. The biblical counselor will want to be kept abreast of any diagnosis done by other professionals, including educators or physicians. The visual impairment diagnosis will be helpful to the counselor. However, as stated earlier, other diagnoses might be
86
problematic, such as ADD/ADHD, social disorders, test anxiety, or many other so-called disorders. The biblical counselor should be educated about the problems with such labels.
The session ended with a very helpful list of technology-based learning tools.3 The class discussion was lively and received well because the material shed light on the many resources available to the counselee who struggles to read. For many of the counselors, this lesson material was where the proverbial rubber met the road.
Furthermore, the counselors were reminded, in a very practical manner about their role to compensate for the deficiencies in reading, and not to teach them how to read. Many of the resources provided in this series of classes will help them to do just that.