Teach and beTaught

I worked as a machine operator off and on for several years in my family's company. During that time I was trained on how to use lots of different machines. From the most basic of machines to the most sophisticated. From the ones that could barely hurt a fly to the ones that could flatten a human being. Some of them I picked quicker then others. I had many different teachers who taught using their own distinct style. Some were very informative while others would hardly talk. Some would put me on the machine right away when some would have me watch them while the worked for several minutes/hours. Most would stand there and watch me after I started to operate the machine to make sure that I really knew what I was doing. I found out from all this training that I am a visual and hands on learner. Every one has different ways in which they learn. For a lot it is a mixture of ways. In fact the best way to learn something is by being exposed to all different aspects of the object being taught. Jesus the master of teaching knew them all and put that knowledge to work. For some people it took seeing miracle, for others it was listening to teachings, and for some it took being hands on ( think 12 disciples). Since hands on is sometimes a dangerous thing because of the possibility for mistakes other then spelling it can be more intimidating for the teacher. Trial by fire come to mind here. It takes commitment and responsibility from the teacher for the students. Not every pupil will be successful in their attempts from the beginning. The one that think that know what they are doing usually screw up the worst later. Some will have harder time grasping the concept then others. In order for a teacher to be able to instill all that they know into their pupils they must be kind, patient, not keep track of all the mistakes made, able to rejoice when a student finally understands, not be easily angered, selfish, able to allow them to mess up, protecting, not misleading, trusting, have hope, and perseverance. Jesus was a good teacher. He was all of these things. These attributes might be familiar to you but not in the same order: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
A good teacher loves. You must love those who you are teaching or else they will get a warped understanding. Jesus had to model, instruct, and listen to his disciples for three years before they were ready to be on their own. Even then God did not leaves a lone he gave us the holy spirit that gives us truth and power. 1 John 4:19 “we love because He first loved us.” We teach because He first taught us. When it became my turn to teach a new employee how to use one of the machines I knew and did everything right. Just kidding. I completely confused this women with so much information and so many instructions that one of the other employees who had been working there for 13 years had to come and tell her to ignore everything I had just said. It took me working with her for 2 weeks before I could have my back to her and be working on my own machine. Even then I had to help numerous times when a new problem would arise that she had not encountered. It takes a lot of time and energy to instruct someone in even on of the many pieces of knowledge you have. It takes saying no to yourself when you see them about to make a mistake and you want to jump in and save them from it. All you can do if they are to learn is to allow them to make mistakes but teach them the truth and how it is really supposed to work. Jesus had to that with the disciples and is still doing that with us. It takes repetition and lots of it before the brain has fully wrapped itself around the concept and come to an understanding. I had to train several people on that same machine and every time it was different because what that person needed was different. Some already new how to use the machine but not the specific way in which we used it. Others had never even seen a machine like it before. I had to instruct them all how to use it and make the same parts as the next person. These parts had to be so precise and so many of them had to be made that most people could not continue to do the work and needed a change but then you would get the occasional person who was made for this job and would be willing to make the same parts on the same machine for over 9 years. God does that. He wants every one to know how and even do it for a while but then someone will come along that has been made for that specific job. There are many different jobs in God's kingdom. We are called to understand them all but maybe some of us will never be at any one of them for very long; While others will find the one that is just for them and work on it until the day that they are taken up to heaven. It is up to us to teach and to learn. To love and be loved.