Thursday, 17 January 2008

Be Quiet

I told Brandon last night that while I'm student teaching, one thing I think I'll need to do in order to maintain my sanity is to take at least a little time for myself each day. I'll simply lose it if I don't.

Funny thing is, when I do, it often ends up relating to teaching, in at least some obtuse way.

I've been reading through Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Last year, a lot of students here at Hope read that book in small groups and Campus Ministries focused a lot of talks on the topics discussed by Bonhoeffer. I'm still not entirely sure what possessed me to wait so long to read the book. Trygve invited me to read it last year and it sounded interesting. But I think it was the Holy Spirit's leading that had me wait, and in the end, I think it was good.

Last night, one of the things I read really struck home. Bonhoeffer wrote that in order to minister to others, you have to be quiet. Sometimes, the person you're ministering needs to talk to you, and you need to shut up, listen with full attention, and not throw in your thoughts all the time. Be quiet, and listen.

I've heard similar things with teaching. You can't be talking all the time when teaching. Students can't stand when the teaching is talking all the time, especially in music. I know I would go crazy if I never got to participate or sing in music classes. It makes sense for the music teacher to shut up.

I didn't think that reading Bonhoeffer's advice on how to minister to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ would help me with my teaching. But I guess that's the little surprises I sometimes get.

Be quiet. It's a good practice. Listen to people. They have something to say, too, and it really does matter when you listen.

Currently Listening Handel: Messiah (Complete Oratorio); Battle, Quivar, Aler, Ramey, Davis By George Frideric Handel, Andrew Davis, Kathleen Battle, Florence Quivar, John Aler, Samuel Ramey, Toronto Symphony Orchestra & Toronto Mendelssohn Choir No. 53-Worthy is the Lamb see related