Teaching

There is one thing that I have not got to write on yet. It is so obvious that I think it always slipped my mind. That is the joy of teaching. I am always thrilled to set up a dialogue where it looks like I might get to pass on some information to someone. Of course, the reverse is true as well. I love dialogues where I gain it as well.

What I want to write on is the joy of teaching.

Now, that joy is in many ways easier to experience in person. There is something that I call the Eureka Moment. That is where I have been explaining something to someone and then all of a sudden, I see something like their eyes lighting up. They might smile or speak excitedly. They get it. It’s coming home. They have reached the conclusion I wished for them to and then they start giving the ramifications of that.

There is just something great about that. Knowledge is such a wonderful thing and it’s great to see people growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ as Peter says. (2 Peter 3:18)

I have been doing work with a friend of mine for a school project of his. He’ll sign on once a week and interview me on some topic. It is based on the “Tuesdays with Morrie” book. I am the Morrie he has chosen to interview. As I am telling him my thoughts on subjects, I learn more something every teacher knows.

You learn more from students than they learn from you.

It is kind of a selfish reason for doing teaching though not my only one of course. I just enjoy it. I love learning new things though. When a person comes and asks you a question, it gives you a chance to maybe learn something in a way you’d never seen it before. A great friend of mine said to me a few days ago “Can I ask you something about Islam?” That was excellent to hear.

My friends. I invite you to teach sometime if you’ve never done so. There is a great joy in it. It might not be your thing, but I certainly love it, and I encourage everyone to give it a shot.