Advent: Day Nine – Teacher

The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. —Mark 1:22 (NIV)

 Eight-year-old Gamachu and his older sister, Arfasa, have 10 brothers and sisters. Life in their large family is busy with daily tasks: taking care of the animals, fetching water, gathering firewood and going to the market. But today is a special day, and they’re running as fast as they can toward their new school. Formal education has never been available near their village until now—a school with three teachers!

Their father said they can go to school in the mornings and do their chores in the afternoon. Their teacher knows so many things and has already learned their names and taught Gamachu and Arfasa how to write them in a notebook. In the classroom, even with the heat of the sun beating through the door, Gamachu is mesmerized by everything the teacher says. He knows his entire life will be different because of her. He can’t wait to get to class each day.

Gamachu and Arfasa are two of the thousands of children receiving an education for the first time, thanks to a Christian ministry building primary schools and providing teachers to the Arsi Oromo people of south-central Ethiopia. The teachers, many of them Christians, move into villages and live among the people they serve. Children are learning to read and write, opening up new possibilities for their futures. And entire communities are learning about God’s love through Jesus by the example of the teachers in their midst.

Jesus’ followers called Him Rabbi (teacher) and looked to Him to learn how to live. Rabbis were an important part of the fabric of Jewish life, teaching what they had learned from God through the law and the prophets. But this teacher, Jesus, spoke with a new kind of authority—as one sent by God to live among humanity and teach the ways of His Kingdom with love, grace and power.

How long has it been since you’ve “run to school” to learn from Jesus? Was it this morning, or last Sunday, or five years ago or maybe never? Open your heart and mind to learn from Him today. Ask Him to use the example of your life—all you’ve learned from Him and who you’ve become—to powerfully proclaim the Good News to those around you.