Over the past ten weeks or so, I've been attempting to study German -- not conversational German -- though, that would be tough enough . No, my PhD program requires that all students demonstrate competency in Theological German (frequently characterized by compound words the length of entire lines and complex sentences as long as normal paragraphs in English) by satisfactorily passing a translation exam. Mine is now set for one week from this Thursday. I would greatly value your prayers!
My study has been and continues to be a formative and enlightening experience. I'm finding that by learning another language, I'm also not only learning more about the meaning of words, but also about my own calling and mission in life. Take, for instance, one of the words in German used to convey the concept of a "teacher." That word is "Lehrer." Cassell's German-English Dictionary defines this word as "teacher, schoolmaster, instructor, tutor." It is based upon another word "Lehre" which may be translated into English with words such as "instruction, moral, warning, lesson, precept."
Both words, though, are built upon a more basic concept expressed in the word "Lehr" Here's where the whole notion of being a teacher finds its foundation, its root. "Lehr" has the meaning of a "pattern or model." When I discovered this interrelationship of ideas expressed in the progression from Lehr to Lehre to Lehrer, I thought of the call of Jesus to his disciples -- "Follow me." He is his follower's pattern and model, and, as it was in Jesus' life, so also everyone who would seek to be a teacher of others can only teach what that one's life models.
We will only be a Lehrer of the Lehr that our life embodies.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ~ 1 Peter 2:21
. . . to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:9
