Love and Respect for Those Being Taught

12. What was Jesus’ attitude toward his disciples?

¹² Another important quality is the proper attitude toward those whom you instruct. The Pharisees felt contempt for those who listened to Jesus. “This crowd that does not know the Law are accursed people,” they said. (John 7:49) But Jesus had deep love and respect for his disciples. He said: “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because all the things I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15) This indicated how Jesus’ disciples should carry on their teaching activity.

13. How did Paul feel about those whom he taught?

¹³ For example, Paul did not maintain a cold, businesslike relationship with his students. He told the Corinthians: “Though you may have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you certainly do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have become your father through the good news.” (1 Corinthians 4:15) At times, Paul even shed tears while admonishing those whom he taught! (Acts 20:31) He also displayed extraordinary patience and kindness. He could therefore tell the Thessalonians: “We became gentle in the midst of you, as when a nursing mother cherishes her own children.”​—1 Thessalonians 2:7.

14. Why is a personal interest in our Bible students so important? Illustrate.

¹⁴ Do you imitate Jesus and Paul? Sincere love for our students can more than make up for any deficiencies in natural abilities that we might have. Do our Bible students sense that we have a sincere interest in them personally? Do we take the time to get to know them? When one Christian woman was having difficulty helping a student to progress spiritually, she kindly asked: “Is something worrying you?” The woman began pouring her heart out, relating numerous concerns and anxieties. That loving conversation turned out to be the turning point for the woman. In such cases Scriptural thoughts and words of comfort and encouragement are appropriate. (Romans 15:4) A word of caution, though: A Bible student may be progressing rapidly but may still have some unchristian ways to overcome. So it may not be wise to be unduly close socially with the individual. Proper Christian boundaries should be maintained.​—1 Corinthians 15:33.

15. How can we show respect for our Bible students?

¹⁵ Respect for our students includes that we do not try to control their personal lives. (1 Thessalonians 4:11) For instance, we may be studying with a woman who is living with a man out of wedlock. Perhaps they have had children together. Having come to an accurate knowledge of God, the woman wants to set matters straight with Jehovah. (Hebrews 13:4) Should she marry the man or separate from him? Perhaps we strongly feel that marrying a man with little or no spiritual interest would hinder her future progress. On the other hand, we may fear for the welfare of her children and think that she would be better off marrying him. In any event, it is disrespectful and unloving to intrude into a student’s life and try to impose our own opinions in such matters. After all, she is the one who must live with the consequences of the decision. Would it not be best, then, to train such a student to use her own “perceptive powers” and decide for herself what she should do?​—Hebrews 5:14.

Responsive to Their Needs

18, 19. (a) How should we respond to the needs of Bible students with limited abilities? (b) How might we assist students who have difficulty with specific matters?

¹⁸ An effective teacher is willing to adapt to the abilities and limitations of his students. (Compare John 16:12.) In Jesus’ illustration of the talents, the master gave privileges “to each one according to his own ability.” (Matthew 25:15) We can follow a similar pattern when conducting Bible studies. Naturally, it is desirable to cover a Bible-based publication in a reasonably short period of time. It must be acknowledged, though, that not all have good reading skills or the ability to assimilate new ideas quickly. Therefore, discernment is needed as to when to move from one point to another in the study if responsive individuals have difficulty keeping up a fast pace. More important than covering material at a fixed pace is helping students to get the sense of what they are learning.​—Matthew 13:51.

¹⁹ The same can be said for Bible students who have difficulty with specific matters, such as the Trinity or religious holidays. While it is generally unnecessary to include Bible-based research material at our studies, we may occasionally do so if this would clearly be beneficial. Good judgment should be used so as to prevent unnecessarily slowing down a student’s progress.

Be Enthusiastic!

20. How did Paul set an example in displaying enthusiasm and conviction in his teaching?

²⁰ “Be aglow with the spirit,” says Paul. (Romans 12:11) Yes, whether we are conducting a home Bible study or we are sharing in a part at a congregation meeting, we should do so with zeal and enthusiasm. Paul told the Thessalonians: “The good news we preach did not turn up among you with speech alone but also with power and with holy spirit and strong conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5) Paul and his companions thus imparted “not only the good news of God, but also [their] own souls.”​—1 Thessalonians 2:8.

21. How can we maintain an enthusiastic attitude toward our teaching assignments?

²¹ Genuine enthusiasm comes from being firmly convinced that our Bible students need to hear what we have to say. Let us never view any teaching assignment as routine. The scribe Ezra certainly paid attention to his teaching in this regard. He “prepared his heart to consult the law of Jehovah and to do it and to teach in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10) We should do likewise by preparing thoroughly and reflecting on the importance of the material. Let us pray to Jehovah to fill us with faith and conviction. (Luke 17:5) Our enthusiasm can help Bible students to develop a real love for the truth. Of course, paying attention to our teaching may involve using specific teaching techniques. Our next article will discuss some of these.