Teaching Others

Matthew 28: 18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I learned to crochet when I was about eight or nine.  I was fascinated by it.  I also learned to knit at the same age.  I learned by watching someone do this.

Over the multiple decades since then, I have been called upon many times to teach someone to crochet or knit.  There are books, videos, and DVDs that proclaim easy ways to learn these arts.  However, the best way to learn is to watch a friend – stitch by stitch -- who has become experienced in the art.

I sit the learner beside me on my right.  I twist a brand-new piece of yarn around my hook and laugh with the learner who has never seen that particular knot before.  And then we begin.

"Relax your hands.  Don't strangle the hook.  Let the yarn flow, but keep a slight tension on it.  Your left hand holds the material and guides your hook into the right spot."  All this is said before the first chain.

"Lower your shoulders, take a deep breath.  Relax.  No, no, release the death grip you have on that hook!"

And we laugh again.

Slowly, I show how to loop the hook under the yarn and swirl around and draw it through with my right hand while I pull down on the stitch between my left thumb and middle finger and adjust the tension on the yarn slipping between my left pinky and ring finger. 

“One chain!  Good job!”

Eventually, we get a long series of chains and begin the meticulous process of single crochets, advancing to double crochets, and turning the piece properly.

We laugh a lot.  We also learn how to deal with knotted yarn, dropped stitches, strangled spaces, and tying off and on new colors.

Teaching others about Jesus is very similar to teaching crochet.  You must have patience, endurance, and laughter.  You must be willing to teach someone how to deal with mistakes and unfamiliar situations.  You must encourage your students to follow directions and trust the pattern of life.  There are many books, songs, DVDs, and videos on how to live a Christian life.  But the best way to learn it is from watching a friend.

Be that friend.

Dear Lord,

Put me in a place where I can teach others about You.  Help me keep living a Godly life so I know what I’m talking about and so when others watch me, what they learn from me will be the right things.  I want to show people the difference You have made in my life.  I need to lead others to You.  Let me be that friend.  Amen.