Listen Up

John 14:23-29

As a part of my job at the high school I sit in a math class to help any students who may need it. It's not difficult math, like algebra, it's a very basic course in probabilities. In the class the most math we do is multiplying fractions and that's about as much math as anyone in that particular class can do. It's a fun class, the students may not have the capacity for using the quadratic formula or binomial theorem but they are a group of the most loving, caring, hard-working people I know.

The teacher also displays these same qualities. She goes above and beyond her "regular" duties to help any and all students who need it. Her patience and acceptance of who these kids are and where their abilities are is really inspiring.

Let's take for example her test reviews. She'll make a worksheet with all of the math problems and formulas the students will need to know. As she goes over each question on the worksheet she reminds them that the questions on the test, "will be very similar, very, very similar" and she works through each question slowly, making sure each student understands how the answer to the question was achieved. By the end of the review there are no questions about what's expected on the test.

I remember the first test day in that class. She passed out the test and all of the students seemed confused. "Miss, you already gave us this worksheet the other day." You see, the teacher had given them the same questions for the test as she did for the review. The students just didn't know what they were hearing when she said, "Remember, the test will be very similar to the review." Not only was the test the same as the review, it was also an open notes test which meant you could look at your notes from the review to take the test. Needless to say all of the students passed.

I think that story echoes the story of Jesus' life in the Gospel of John. We're given a methodical review of what we're expected to do as Christians, then when it's time to be a Christian we're allowed to use the review notes to help us along the way. Jesus tells his disciples that he's done all he can in the "review" process, and to help them with what comes next God is sending someone else to help them; sort of like the open notes concept I spoke of earlier.

It's our duty as Christians, then, to take good notes, ask questions to clarify, and do what we can to understand as best we can what Jesus is teaching us so that when it comes time for the "test" we'll be ready.