The Parable of the Discouraged Student

 

Lo, one day, I went to pick up my descendants from Bethel Mennonite School, where they are edu-ma-cated in the three Rs and a bit more besides.  My second son, Elliot, who wanteth a filter between his mind and mouth sayeth unto me, “Father, it passeth through my mind that my life would be far easier if instead of being a student, I was a teacher.”

Such words took me aback, for Elliot, has not yet completed the seventh grade and while he is Almighty Bright, still, he has many more days left before him as a student.  To Top it Off, this eleven-year-old young man has never shown a proclivity for instructing Anyone in Anything.

“Elliot,” I replied.  “Thou hast years of being a student in front of Thee.  Moreover, Thou hast need of much schooling before Thou couldest instruct another.  Mayhap it seemeth to Thee that a Teacher’s Job is easier, but it is not, for remember, Thou wouldest have to deal with students like unto Thyself and that is No Easy Job.”

Elliot made a face as though he had drunk a swig of curdled milk.  “I wouldn’t teach seventh grade,” He said.  “Not that I couldn’t for most of the work is Plum Easy.  But instructing those in the First or Second grade would be about my speed.”

“I know that Thou canst Read Real Good,” I told my son.  “And First Grade math wouldst be easy as well.  What Thou lackest is Patience.  And teachers of six- and seven-year-olds must have as much Patience as Knowledge.

Elliot was not abashed.  “I have much Patience,” he proclaimed.  “The storehouse of my Patience is like unto the treasuries of King Croesus.”

“If Thou hast such Patience,” I said.  “Thou hast not exemplified it in Thy dealings with Thy younger two sisters.  For with them, Thy store of Patience seems more like unto the treasuries of a Church Mouse.”

“Oh, my Father,” he saith in reply.  “Perhaps my Patience is not as great as I deem it, but I would learn it quickly, as I learn all things.  Thou needst not fear that my long-suffering nature would not grow greatly in such a position.”

I thought me on this subject.  Verily, most of us do grow, when are forced to do so.  On the other hand, a degree of preparation may help the growth to proceed at a more rapid pace.  Those with little Patience will not magically manifest it, simply because they have children.

Certainly, my beloved son will not be instructing children of any age in the near future.

Jesus told His followers, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust in much.”  (Luke 16:10) The patterns that are exhibited in the small things carry over when we are faced with greater ones.

He who is unable to have Patience with his younger sisters, though they be Awful Cute, is certainly not going to be Long Suffering when pressed to the max by a room full of six-year-olds.  It is still tempting to believe that the “Tomorrow Me” will be far less deficient in the qualities that the “Today Me” lacks.  This will only happen if the "Today Me" starts working to develop those qualities.

The only solution is to apply ourselves to become the thing we desire.  It taketh great effort and much work, but even an almost 12-year-old can learn Patience if he begins to work on it.  In time, he might even gain the Great Patience needed to deal with aggravating younger sisters.