“A teacher of God is anyone who chooses to be one. His qualifications consist solely in this; somehow, somewhere he has made a deliberate choice in which he did not see his interests as apart from someone else’s. (M3)”
Affirmation: “A teacher of God is anyone who chooses to be one.”
Reflections:
This passage opens up the teachers of God to anyone. Once we have seen someone else–a brother or sister–as being wholly worthy of forgiveness, we are ready for the designation of ‘teacher of God.’” We see our interests as the same as his (or hers). We don’t make distinctions, nor do we judge another’s actions. We are forgiving through and through.
Of course, we do not often sustain this powerful way of living. We fail, sometimes repeatedly. But Jesus notes that these are correctable mistakes, not sins, and once we have realized that these moments of judging are mistakes, we will be forgiving once again, of both ourselves and others. Mistakes call out for correction, and we respond accordingly.
If we do not see another’s interests as different from our own, we are seeing him (or her) as a brother or sister in Christ. This change of perspective will bring us joy. Let us make it today.
Prayer:
Dear Father/Mother,
Please help me to see that the good wishes of someone else are the same as the good wishes of myself. This, in itself, will help me to help my brothers and sisters.
I would like to be a teacher of God. Help me to be this. I cannot do it without You.
Amen.
