What Can a Teacher Learn from a Student?

Scripture: Romans 1:11-12 – “For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” (NRSVUE)

What can a teacher learn from a student? My wife has been a high school teacher for more than twenty years. She has done a lot in that time and seen a lot of students come through her door. Some of her students became Ivy League scholars. Some became colleagues. A few went on to Broadway and Hollywood. Many have dropped out of school due to family pressures or poor choices. She has been to major conferences and has been injured while breaking up fights. She has seen it all. What more can her students teach her?

I had this idea in mind while I was looking at a passage from the Letter of Paul to the Romans this week. According to scholars, Romans is one of the last of Paul’s letters found in the New Testament, if not the last. In it, Paul is essentially writing a letter of introduction to the new but already established church in Rome. He provides what is essentially a summary of his theology which developed over many years.

The Paul we encounter here has also seen it all. He grew up as an expert in Jewish law. He persecuted the church. He had a vision on Jesus on the road to Damascus and became a believer. He struggled to be accepted by the disciples. He went from city to city establishing churches. He wrote letters to those churches addressing theological and interpersonal disputes. And he often found himself persecuted and imprisoned for his beliefs. According to Acts, he even survived a shipwreck!

At this point in his life, Paul has a lot to share with a group of Romans who clearly have much to learn. But at the very beginning of his letter, Paul shows a level of humility. When stating how excited he is to share his spiritual gifts with them, he says, “rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

Wise and weary Paul still has something to learn from people who are just beginning their spiritual journeys. He knows that no matter how much experience he has, there is always more to discover. An attitude of curiosity on the part of a teacher, or other kind of leader, brings out curiosity in others. And through this kind of encounter, we can often learn not only about things like math or literature, but about God.

Some of you reading this are new to faith, and others have been disciples of Jesus for a long time. No matter which one you are, there is always more to learn about God. The biggest impediment to faith, and the thing that often gets us into trouble, is when we think we know everything. One of the greatest teachers in Christian history never stopped learning from others, experienced teachers like my wife don’t either. What more can you be curious about today and who are you willing to be vulnerable toward to do that? New truths yet to be discovered are there for those who are curious and humble towards others. Who will you walk with today?

Prayer: Lord, let me seek your truth from those just getting to know you, so that my faith and love can be ever refreshed and perfected. Amen.

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