“Let us learn from Jesus” – Seeds of Faith – October 4, 2021

October 5 is World Teachers’ Day in honor of teachers all over the world. The date was chosen by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994. The day is the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
Jesus is considered a model teacher, and hailed by Christians as the greatest teacher of all time.
What lessons can Jesus teach to the teachers of today?
First, have a clear objective.
When Jesus started His public ministry, He declared His objectives in a synagogue. It can be found in Luke 4:18-19.
Jesus declared that He was anointed to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Jesus was asked by the John the Baptist’s disciples if He is the Messiah. He answered by telling them that His objectives are being fulfilled.
As teachers of today, let us learn from Jesus and be clear with our objectives.
Second, use different ways to explain the subject matter.
The central message of Jesus is about the kingdom of God. Jesus explained the kingdom of God using parables, illustrations, stories, allegory, logic and many more. Jesus would also scripture passages from the Old Testament, and would often cite the Psalms and the writings of the prophets.
Jesus would also use different venues as His classroom. He taught in synagogues, in mountains, in the roadside, in the lakeside, in the garden, in dining areas and many more. He used every opportunity to teach others.
As teachers of today, let us learn from Jesus and employ various ways to explain our lessons, anytime and anywhere.
Third, be exemplary.
Jesus is a model teacher not just because of His methods or His subject matter, but more importantly, He lived out what He was teaching.
When taught the disciples about prayer, He did not just tell them how to pray but showed them His prayer life. He would pray early in the morning, and in the evening. By doing so, His disciples learned how to do it.
As teachers of today, let us learn from Jesus, and be exemplary in our words and deeds.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Director, Office of Communications
Central Philippine University