Blessed Are the Students

The title of this reflection might elicit the response, “of course,” from those who know I teach college students.  Why would I not say, blessed are the students?  This gives me a job!  They pay my bills.  They are young and interesting.  Indeed, all that is true.  And I do hope my students are blessed.

When we say the word, student, it is not surprising folks think about college or high school students.  Even elementary students fit this bill.  All of them are in school.  Everyone calls them “students.”  Even in Germany they are called “Studenten,” which sounds just like it does in English.  Why would we not hope all the students---around the world---be blessed?

But unless we grew up in a religious school setting, associating “blessing” with students is not normal.  In my Indiana growing-up days I do not recall one time anybody used the language of “blessing” in school.  “Blessing” was a church-word…or something you said when someone sneezed!  Oh yeah, that is when I heard the word in my school setting.  But I don’t think anyone used it in any religious sense of “bless you.”

So if that were all I meant by the phrase, “blessed are the students,” there would be no reason to continue.  It would be a short message and I would be done!

But I am not done.  I remember very well sitting in a Greek class my first year in graduate school when I learned the Greek word for “disciple” really meant “student!”  It was a revelation.  It was as if the heavens opened and a word of God spoke to me that changed my whole idea of what being in relationship with God meant.  I was a student.

I don’t mean I was a student in that particular university as a graduate student.  Of course, that was true.  It was special, but it was not spiritual.  The real question to me that day was whether I was a student of the Divinity?  I was in Divinity School.  But was I a student of the Divinity?  That was a very difficult question.  I knew how to enroll in Divinity School.  But how does one “enroll” as a student of the Divinity?

Of course, there are easy answers.  One theological tradition would suggest that we go to a revival and give our hearts to God (or Jesus).  I have no doubt this works for some folks.  But it was not the way it could work for me.  I needed more education; I needed more grounding.  So I was led back into the biblical text.

Jews had rabbis and rabbis had disciples (students).  Jesus came along and asked fishermen to follow.  And they did and became students (disciples).  He taught.  They learned.  The world, the cities, the wilderness and mountains were the classrooms.  He did not lecture.  He showed, he cajoled, he encouraged, and he loved.  He taught his students how to love.

“Turn the other cheek.”  What a lesson.  The test is always a pop quiz!  Can I love and turn the other cheek to whoever walks into my life?  Even the bum?  The enemy?  Ouch…do I have learning to do!  Some of my learning is remedial.  I know it, but I cannot perform.  I need more time, more grace, more practice.

But when I do---and when you do---blessed are the students!  Blessed are we.  There is no money…no fame.  But oh, the blessings!  I want to learn more and more…and be blessed more and more.  I will indeed, be richly blessed.