Youth Reflections - Learning, Listening, and Teaching

"But here's the thing: In order to teach, we must first be the student. We must listen to others that are teaching us with their experiences, their wisdom, and their lives. "

Hey friends - get your mouse-clicking and page-swiping fingers ready. This week's reflection is stuffed full of links to articles, videos, resources, and lists.  

Learning, Listening, and teaching. That's what I am thinking about this week. 


 To say "There's a lot going on" is a gigantic understatement! Our city and other cities across the country are filled with protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while are navigating the Covid-19 pandemic. Never before has listening to scientists, medical experts, and people of color been so important. They are our teachers.  They are people that we need to learn from so we can teach others.

That's exactly what this week's scripture passage from the Gospel of Matthew is about. These verses are known as "The Great Commission."  It's called that because in the passage the resurrected Jesus gives the disciples instructions to spread his teachings all over the world. 

Here's the scripture: 


The Commissioning of the Disciples16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[a]
What is something thing that you know well or have learned that you can teach others about?

In his Great Commission, Jesus tells the disciples to go out and find their own students and teach what Jesus taught them. Jesus was unique and sometimes we might think that we could never do the things he did. This passage reminds us that Jesus did not think this way about himself.  We may not be able to turn water into wine but we can love God and love our neighbor. And teach others to do so as well. 

But here's the thing: In order to teach, we must first be the student. We must listen to others that are teaching us with their experiences, their wisdom, and their lives. 

Here is a list of resources and voices that can teach us.

African-American history,biography, and culture books for middle and high school students



More Young Adult reading suggestions

Article: For Our White Friends Desiring to be Allies


The New York Times has created a series of informative videos explaining implicit biases. Get started watching the series HERE 

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