Life Mentor ~ Teacher

teach ~ (v) ~ 1. to impart knowledge or skill to; give instruction to  2. to cause to learn by example or experience

To teach someone is to give something away ~ that something being knowledge or skill or a life lesson.  To teach someone is also to give them the tools to find that knowledge or skill on their own, or to learn from their own life lessons.  I used to be a teacher.   I didn't teach rocket science, although who knows, one or more of my students may have grown up to be rocket scientists.  I didn't even teach complicated math.  But what I did teach was very, very special to the students in my classes.  I taught first and second grade.


I taught these little kids skills that would follow them the rest of their lives.  Skills like reading, writing and how to tell time.  But even more, I gave them the courage to be themselves, and the thrill and satisfaction of learning.  I gave them lessons in living in a community of their peers.  And I learned about teaching from my own teachers.

I've had some good teachers and some bad teachers, but it's the outstanding teachers that I remember.  They stood out not just because they knew their subject matter, but because they knew how to teach year after year with a passion for the students who were taking their classes.  Jesus was like that.  He lessons were taught with passion for us, the people He passionately loved. Whether one is a believer, a fence-sitter, a questioner or a nay-sayer of His claims as the Son of God, a study of Christ's life can enhance not only our own but our interaction with, and therefore the lives of, others.

Jesus met people where they were at:

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: (Matthew 5:1-2)

Jesus taught in a manner they would receive when ready. And while not all were ready, that did not stop Him from teaching for the time when they would be.

(Jesus said) "This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. (Matthew 13:10-16)

Jesus was passionate that what He was teaching was life changing, but He also knew it was up to His listeners to put into practice what they heard.

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:46-49) 

I think what I love most about Jesus-the-teacher is that He walked the walk He was asking us to walk.  And while He knew that His way was the most fulfilling way, He did not insist that we follow His teaching like little robots or a bunch of lemmings.  What I love the most about Jesus is that He taught from a place of passion, of love for us.