January 15, 2008
| 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: (The Sermon on the Mount) |
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Luke 5: 1-3 (NIV): One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3sat down and taught the people from the boat. In Jesus' day the "teacher" would not stand behind separating lecterns or tower over his audience behind raised pulpits. No, in Jesus' day he would sit in a chair, on a stool, on a rock, in a boat, and truly teach the people. In return, the audience would normally sit also - in acknowledgement of the teacher's authority - and take the lower ground (literally sitting on the ground!). This would also invite the teacher to walk among the people so as to touch them, look them in the eye and truly connect with them. Jesus used this form of communication very effectively and it is possible that one reason the Church struggles today is that we have lost the ability and/or desire to connect with our audience in this way. I believe that the world has lost out on an opportunity to promote one such communicator, one whose desire to teach and to connect and to love was at his very core, is what made him "tick." He tried to jump through the hoops of the teaching establishment so he could gain access to our youngest ones while they were still impressionable, moldable. Unfortunately, they (whoever "they" are) were not ready for him and did not allow him into that prestigious club. Once again, as happened so many times in his life, he fell short of a dream's fulfillment because of another's lack of vision. But he was not to be thwarted! In the style of Jesus, whenever he could gain an audience, he would teach. He did not need a degree, an official position, permission or license. Just give him a subject and an opportunity to speak and he was off! Imagine if he had been allowed the opportunity to teach our young and impressionable, or even our old and impenetrable? Why can't we ALL be like that? When God gives us an opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission or even to commission our kids, let us follow the example of Jesus like my brother, Ben, did. Sit down. Make time. Connect. Love. Change the world. When I, in my own mind, tried to imagine Ben in Heaven, I saw him as a little boy either sitting at Jesus' feet, listening and asking questions like Jesus did at the Temple, or piling his plate with all the good stuff from God's table he had been forced to avoid on earth because he was diabetic. But in the dreams I feel God sent me to comfort me in my grief I saw Ben in a very different light. I saw him sitting down and teaching! What this really means, I'm not sure. But I would like to think that the world was just a training ground for Ben and his Heavenly reward was to get to eternally do what was his heart's desire here on earth: teach! In one dream I saw Ben sitting and teaching a group of people I recognized as his friends and they were sitting at his feet, on the ground, completely engrossed (like children) in what he was saying. In the other dream, Ben was teaching me. In his passionate way, as he sat - left hand on his knee, right hand chopping the air like a knife, leaning forward and looking me in the eye - he taught, "Bubby, I'm all right! I'm o- (chop) kay (chop)!" I hear you, Bro! Lesson learned! So, anyway, Happy Birthday, Teacher! I can't wait to sit at your feet again. Bubby |
