Any Students at Heart Out There?

Anyone but me love it when Fall comes and the school supplies are freshly displayed? Call me weird, but I love to walk down those aisles to see never-before-used notebooks (now with really cute covers), pencils waiting to be sharpened, binders begging to be organized and filled with all kinds of knowledge, new pens (will it be black or blue?), loose leaf paper... It all reminds me of fresh beginnings.  Innovative possibilities. Potential waiting to be discovered. And fulfilled.

I did not know it, but deep inside, I've always been a student at heart. When in elementary school, I was often the teacher's pet. Many times I had the honor of choosing a classmate to help beat chalkboard erasers outside; yes, it was an honor to get out of your desk and go outside for a welcome reprieve! (I'm 40 something and there actually did used to be chalkboards instead of dry erase boards.) When the teacher stepped out of class, I was often in charge (haha!) of the class with the task of writing down any names of those who misbehaved. I often had A+ papers proudly hanging in the class by my teacher. I was sent on errands for the teacher. Such a good student I was (grin). I really did want to please my teachers and make them proud.

Somewhere around 9th grade, though, I began losing my interest in learning and it continued to go downward throughout my years in high school. I just decided to have some fun and be social! I became distracted with lesser things. I've often longed to go back to those years and redo them. But I can't. What I can do is to do something about the here and now. In the here and now.

At about 30 years old, I participated in my first Q & A Bible study workbook. I was hooked! I had begun tapping into the student in me once again. I have to say, I had never done this type of learning before; God turned my head upward to look upon Him, which also turned me to look inward. Boy, I had a lot of learning to do! This was the stuff of life transformation. I was challenged by it, but I loved it because despite of and probably because of my ignorance, Jesus draw me to His side to teach me many things. I became His disciple. I found the learner in me again.

Let's do a little Bible study. The word disciple is the Greek word mathētēs which means, "a learner or pupil." It connotes the meaning of following another's teaching. Jesus walked about choosing His disciples and would approach them and ask them to follow Him. This meant that He would become their life teacher. As they walked and traveled from place to place, they would watch him and learn from Him. He taught them as opportunities arose in their journey. He often spoke to them one-on-one and gave them lessons each disciple specifically needed to learn. He is a very personal Father, Teacher and Savior!! Doesn't it just warm your heart that He gives us the attention we need and shows us our value? There are no overlooked students with Jesus!

So what God has put on my heart is that He wants some students at heart to come to Him and learn of Him, namely ME! Matthew 11:27-30 says,"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light." The word learn here is the Greek word manthanō (see how close it is to the Greek word for disciple?) which means, "to learn, be apprised, to increase one's knowledge, to learn by use and practice." Learning of Jesus brings rest from the busyness of life and its demands. Learning of Jesus brings rest from legalism. Learning of Jesus gives us a better understanding of who He is. Learning of Jesus makes us more like Him. You see, this was the purpose of a Rabbi, to make disciples who would be just like him and carry on His teachings!!!!

Jesus wants some students at heart to come under His gentle yoke of teaching. I believe there is a student in every one of us! Don't look at your past mistakes. Don't feel inferior or compare yourself to anyone else. Look forward to all you get to learn now! Are you willing to submit to all He wants to teach you? Would you, along with me, be willing to humble yourself and learn some very personal lessons from Jesus, the greatest Rabbi (teacher) ever??? Without challenge, there is no change.

I wonder. What is He putting on your heart? A lesson in humility? Compassion? Self-control? Submission? Gentleness? Kindness? Courage? Faith? Holiness? The list could go on forever. Ask Him what He'd like to teach you. And submit. It's for our health. And remember, when we submit to a season of in-depth teaching, life still goes on. Many distractions come. Warfare arises to try to stop you. Don't. Keep going forward. Aim at pleasing Him. At the finish line of the season will be your Teacher with an honorary diploma which says, "Well done, good and faithful servant." He'll proudly display your A+ character so that others will see Him. A good student points to the excellence of her Teacher!

Take your seat in the classroom of Jesus Christ. And don't worry about being confined to a desk; He takes His students on many field trips! He knows what type of learners we are. 

So who's in?