~ George Carlin ~
Who was your favorite teacher of all time? Most people are asked that same question at one time or another. For me it was a high school wood shop teacher whose name escapes me, but who definately made an impact on how I feel one should teach. I remember one project I was working on where I just couldn't get it together to build that table. My first attempt looked more like a crashed airplane than a table. Obviously I had forgotten something along the way. However, my teacher never let me know that. I guess in his eyes he had forgotten to stress a few points about building the project. Anyway, for two days straight he worked with me to build my table, never once admonishing his student for forgetting his teaching. THAT is a teacher in my book. Not everyone is going to learn nor understand at the same rate, and who are you to deem someone unteachable without first looking at yourself? I raised the quote from George Carlins view of religion for a reason. I was once that run down shmuck with my two dollar prayer book teaching what I knew about Jesus. Well, I really wouldn't call it teaching but telling. After all, isn't that how Jesus taught, by telling stories in order that those of His day would understand? It is these parables of Jesus which we often point to as we teach the foundations of a Christ like life. We all know them, the good samaritan, the wide and foolish builders, etc. There is no doubt that Jesus used stories in His teachings that we might better understand. Well, in my two dollar prayer book evangelist days I somehow forgot about that. Now, nobody ever called me a run down shmuck, but I guess they would have been right if they did. So, that brings me to the point of my post, how is it that we should teach others about Jesus? In my case there is a heavier burden as my own view of the truth of Christ is not agreed on with the mainstream institutional church theology of the day. See, I don't see myself as seperated from God. I don't see God as being in heaven while I labor and toil away here in His creation. That is seperation thinking and it's crap. The apostle Paul speaks in Galations of the indwelling Christ who we live as today {Galations 2:20}. Yes, I said that we live as Jesus. Now, before you call me a run down shmuck, remember Pauls words from Galations "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." See, Paul believed that he was indeed dead. All that remained was Christ.
20“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2: 20 NKJV
The section of my bible that I pulled Pauls instructions from Galations from is titled "Apostolic Confidence." See, Paul was confident beyond a doubt of who he really was inside. He was not defined by the flesh and blood container that was his physical body, but by the Spirit of Christ Jesus who lived through him. The same can be said about us as well. We can live with the very same confidence of our indwelling Christ which Paul had. However, what if we do not know this truth of Jesus or if we have somehow forgotten? How is it that we should approach the questions that those who are not secure in the truth of Christ in us? Well, I believe the best way is to take a page from that old shop teacher and patiently go over the truth of Christ with them. Sure, we can admonish someone who has questions as simply "forgetting who they really are." We can certainly do that, if you want to teach from that two dollar prayer book once again. As for me, I don't want to be that run down shmuck any longer. I've come to know a better way now. I don't treat those willing to hear the truth of Christ as forgetful students who need the lesson drilled into them. I don't see someone who has questions about Jesus as not knowing who He is. Everyone is going to have questions about Jesus at one point or another. We should feel honored that others come to us with questions about the Christ in us, obviously they have seen something in us which has sparked their curiosity. Keep in mind that nobody has ever seen God. The ONLY way the world will truly know Him is through the lives of those He lives through. The greatest compliment I could ever receive is from someone telling me that they see Christ in me. We should not hesitate to use the very same grace and humility of Christ as we tell others about Him. Then we are teaching Jesus.
6Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
Galations 6: 6 NKJV
~Scott~
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