Jesusluvsall's Blog

So what does a picture of an old guy with a beard holding a cookbook for kids have to do with trying the follow the example of Jesus by sharing life with others?

This picture of me was taken last week after my evening ESL class finished for the term. I try to follow Jesus example by sharing life with my students. They are not just students to me. I know their stories of what they have had to overcome in the lives. Because I know their stories, such as Yazidi refugees who fled the genocide or Hispanics who experience discrimination, I know they have stress. I try to use humor when I teach, so many times I regale them with stories of my failed cooking attempts like the time I thought peanut butter and jelly would be good with rice, (NOT A GOOD IDEA PLEASE DON’T TRY IT), my classroom is often filled with laughter as we learn together.

I feel it is important to show respect and to help them feel welcome, so I learn phrases from their languages. Last year I learned how to say hello my friend in Kurdish, so I could help Yazidi students feel welcome. We have many Yazidi refugees in my home city of Lincoln. In fact, Lincoln has the largest population of Yazidi people in all of North America. I walk around  in the lobby and greet students in their languages before classes start. I want them to feel welcome knowing many of them never felt welcome in their home cultures.

My role model I strive to follow is Jesus. I honestly don’t think anyone can read the gospels and not see Jesus as being friendly to the oppressed, willing to spend time with the outcasts, and sharing life with the lowly. He ate with outcasts in their homes. I am sure there was laughter, life, and heart warming moments shared as well as teaching going on. God is highly relational and Jesus is God the Son.

So when my students felt comfortable enough to give me a gag gift of a cookbook for kids, I laughed with them. I smiled widely and thanked them as we laughed together. It represented to me that they feel a connection with me beyond being their language teacher. Many times in the past 17 years students have sought me out for help with various issues. I care about them, their families, and their lives.

Once my pastor remarked to me that I have more opportunities to share than anyone he knows. I am not sure about that, but I am grateful for the opportunities to share Christ’s love in practical ways because they can lead to sharing about Jesus the person. My only strategy is to pray for them, share life with them, and love them.