Christ commends the teaching of his Father

How commendable the efforts of those who send others into the world with knowledge and the ability to create or repeat the nourishment of the past. As each prophet of the Old Testament, the forefathers of our nation, the current teachers and prophets of today have led each of us a pattern to follow, so with the understanding we now retain we too must not waver in what we've learned.

See how easy it becomes to absorb from others who are learned and forget the time and effort those heroes of the books we now use. The adage of one plants a seed, another nourishes it, and yet one more harvests the growth of a plant, fruit, or even a tree, become the teachers of all that you and I enjoy at any moment.

Yet, how endearing it can be when a student comes to you saying “you taught me my trade and I am thankful for you.” For the now successful student sharing his/her knowledge and ability to create it has a commendable nature for those of us who teach from the teachers of the past.

Jesus entered the world of mankind already prepared to share the divine adherence of eternity by becoming that very essence of the divine Trinity that awaits all of us. His book of knowledge opened to us a path of grace for our soul, a sign of understanding human needs with prayer, and a command of love that must be shared with everyone around us. Even those he chose called him Rabboni, meaning teacher. Somehow this term belonging to any of us who teach somehow places us in a special category of carrying out God’s requirement of sharing his plan for salvation.

However, as with all the gifts the Holy Spirit endows any of us with, with responsibility comes accountability as well. “It will be as a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another two; to a third, one - to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five . He said, "See, I have made five more.” His master said to him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.” Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, “ See, I have made two more” His master said to him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.” Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, “Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter, so out of fear I went and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.” His master said to him in reply, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?” (Mt 25: 14 - 27). For each of us, like the heroes of the past, will be accountable for each gift we have received. As the last man buried his talent, he was judged accordingly. So it will be with any of us who has been blessed to share God’s Word through the gifts the Holy Spirit has endowed us, so will each one also make an account to Christ when asked what we did with ours. This is commending our efforts as he says, “Come my good and faithful servant and share your Master’s Joy!”

Ralph B. Hathaway