By Johnson Hsu
I find myself wondering about the Priest and the Levite in the Samaritan man parable (Luke 10:25-37). What were they thinking as they walked past a beaten and naked man, left for dead by the side of the road? Were they going off to serve God, and thought they were doing the ‘holy’ thing in passing by? I wonder if we ever do that as we try to serve?
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31-32)
As we serve, I wonder who our waylaid person might be? They might not look beaten and naked. They might be that exasperating student that won’t let others talk. They might be that person who is frequently rude to teachers and other students. They might even be one of our volunteers, each person wrestling with their own inner beatings and brokenness.
We all have those contacts who, for whatever reason, are difficult for us.
It might not even be another person, but might be in how we ourselves act. We become our own difficult person. We too carry inner brokenness, hurt and sin.
In his book, “The Educational Imagination”, Elliot Eisner talks about ‘explicit’ and ‘implicit’ curriculum. The former are the overt subjects which are taught, while the latter might be thought of as the myriad lessons we learn from ‘how’ those subjects are taught.
Very few of us remember the details of what we were taught in grade 9 Science… but we often strongly remember the kindness of Mrs. Peterson who taught the class, and her patience with us when we struggled. The implicit messages may be more important than the explicit subject taught.
Our ESL programs, ESL Bible classes and other teachings are all wonderful and welcomed value added into our communities. But our most lasting and ongoing influence might be more in ‘how’ we teach; the love we show as we serve, even as we ourselves wrestle with our own brokenness.
I once had a student approach me as I was leaving to go home. He wasn’t even one of my students. I vaguely recalled meeting him previously, and walking through the parking lot with him, chatting as we went. He excitedly told me that he remembered what I’d said to him, and that it had helped! I had no idea what he was talking about.
He didn’t remember my carefully prepared lesson… in fact he hadn’t even been in my class! He did remember a few kind words I’d spoken to him in passing, as I was tired and wanting to go home.
As good teachers, we should aim to meet our obligations and teaching targets. Yet as good followers of Christ, we should also seek to do so with great love and patience, not because we are always strong, but because His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).
Who might your waylaid neighbour be… and how might we better love them, as Christ loves us?
One reply on “Walking Past the Dead”
It’s true – even though I can’t remember the specific content of what they taught I can remember many of my teachers. What a great reminder to love people even in our most unguarded, informal encounters!