When we consider the teachers who have the greatest influence upon us it is not so much what they taught but who they were in their teaching. They were people who not only had a passion to learn but a desire to help others learn what they understood. There was a thirst to communicate what was essential to their subject so that others could appreciate and translate it into their own circumstances.
Thus we see Jesus seeking to help his disciples to pray without ceasing and not lose heart. He uses the image of the unjust judge being pestered by a woman who seeks justice against her enemy. The image we have is of a person being harangued into submission rather than hearing what is just in this particular situation. Thus Jesus teaches us to become people who are not just examining what we want to happen but noticing how God desires justice to be achieved in the here and now.
Paul echoes this in his letter to Timothy. He sees that Holy Scripture is not just a how-to manual but rather a revelation of wisdom that leads us into a deeper relationship with God and with each other. This seeks to seek guidance in which scripture and the Word of God read our hearts. It is a call to obedience that seeks to faithfully listen patiently to God's voice speaking to our hearts.
We do not just rely on our own strength and our capabilities but rather seek God to help us grow in our capacity to love others. This faithfulness is about being present and seeking for God to help us in all things. To guard our hearts against just trusting in our own strength but rather the faithfulness to learn from the teaching of Jesus who guides us.
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