Like Warm Humble Pie!

Like Warm Humble Pie

They say that the teacher teaches when the students are ready to learn.  This old adage is something I reflect on often and wonder about how true it is.

I happen to teach, coach, and minister.  Life gets busy and there are days I look out at my students and view their immaturity and insecurities and it frustrates the hell out of me.  Many days the students are not ready to learn.  They are distracted by technology or maybe just stayed up too late the night before.  They are tired and bored from the monotony of life.  There are times I ask myself, “am I in the wrong profession or working somewhere else could provide a stronger financial future, so why am I still here?”

This past Wednesday was a full and busy day as usual.  After school I decided to go to Crossfit (this insane workout that Sobremesa signed up to do).  After working out, it was off to this restaurant, Lisa’s, to meet up with a couple of guys I grew up with from Victoria.  I only planned to do dinner and then head home early to get ready for the next day.  What turned out to be a simple dinner turned into a late morning filled with drinks, catching up, political and theological debate.  We argued about the soul of Capitalism and who would be the better president.   Intensity and frustration would be good descriptors for that short grace filled time.  Needless to say, it was loads of fun.

Unfortunately, reality set-in as I headed home.  I needed to finish writing a quiz for the next day and it was no surprise that I fell asleep on the computer (literally) while writing the quiz.  I arose early the next morning to finish the quiz and was, as usual, running late to school.  As I was making copies, the copier jammed.  Next, I was late to my first period class.  Then a question was posed to me upon entering room 159, “Mr. G, are you alright?  You look tired, bro.”  After taking a big gulp of coffee I was humbled and all I could say was, “you are pretty observant aren’t you?”

I was chewing a big piece of humble pie because my young student hit the nail on the head; I was beat and wondering how I was going to take on the rest of the day.  There was no choice and I had to do what I had to do but the question posed to me during first period stuck.   Jesus, in chapter 6 of Luke’s Gospel, cautions and inspires us with the following questions and lesson,

⁴¹ Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴² Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. 

As mentioned above, it is so easy for me to peer out at my students (or anyone for that matter) and get frustrated about where I think they should or shouldn’t be on this journey of life.  Here I was just the other day frustrated and annoyed with my students for not focusing or being too distracted when it came to school.  That morning I was guilty of the same thing.  Instead of seeing them (students) as culprits and distracted children, perhaps I need to observe and consider my own imperfections and contradictions.  I ought to work on how I can bridge my perceived separation between God and I.   It was time for me to be humbled, and frankly, I needed to be humbled. We must also be aware that life will, at times, draw out occasion for us to experience warm humble pie.  Let us not be afraid of those times and willingly accept those times as grace.

This doesn’t mean, however, that we should never challenge, in love, our neighbors or the world.   Jesus, I believe, is also suggesting we not forget the taste of warm humble pie because when there is a need to “put my foot down” or “stand my ground,” I must do that with the greatest care and love for the other person.  We should respect where people are and meet them where they are, as good educators and master teachers do, while still working to challenge our neighbors and the world around us.

The Latin root word for education is educatio.  The use of the Latin “e” means “draw out of” and if we are to be good teachers (I believe we all are in some capacity even if our workplace isn’t the classroom) we must, diligently and with great love and care, work and challenge the world to draw out that LOVE so it can me manifested in all things. 

The Master Teacher, God, is always patient with us and accepts us wherever we are.  Let us ready ourselves to learn from the Master Teacher.  In fact, that Teacher is waiting for us now.  Peace.