Contagious vs Clinical

Having one son not far out of college and another one currently enrolled, I have heard my fair share about professors—good and bad. Sunday night, my younger son and I were discussing the teachers he has this semester. For one particular difficult science course, he has a very pro-active teacher, highly rated by students, classes full, and, as a result, my son is interested, engaged, and can tell his mom and I exactly what he’s learning on any given week. He has another professor who teaches by the book in a monotone, has low ratings, and students only take him if they have to. As you might imagine, my son is not interested, not engaged, and can’t wait to get his class done. And he can’t tell us a whole lot about that subject—not nearly as much as the science course from the other prof.

Do you see the connection, or maybe better said, the disconnection?

Engaged teachers certainly don’t guarantee 100% engaged students but creating a contagious environment is far better than a clinical one.

Jesus would certainly have known how to drone on and on in a monotone if He had wanted to. He could communicate any way he chose. But He desired to create a craving for people to enter God’s Kingdom, so He wrapped the teaching in stories, parables, and even sometimes, cryptic riddles like a camel in a needles eye.

Every day, we teach people. We talk, instruct, inform, and educate. Whether you realize it and no matter what you do, you are teaching someone on a regular basis.

So, ask yourself… how would my “students” rate my “class”? What is my own level of engagement in the people around me? Can people not wait to hear from me or, rather, can’t wait to get out of my class?

Am I contagious or clinical?

The presence of God’s Spirit will create contagion when we get out of the way, connect, and let Him teach.

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law. —Matthew 7:28-29 NLT