Who was your most influential teacher? Why?
Interesting, a teacher the person who shows us ways to see the world, learn a skill, pass an exam, a promotion, a job. So many teachers over the years and all very dedicated and excellent people.
However the teaching I was given as a child and throughout living in a country that has a state church, was Jesus. This teaching of miracles, ressurection and a way of life struck me as the most influential teacher I have read.
Then a few years ago I was introduced to Torah and a Rabbi. Not in person you understand, he has a you tube channel. As lockdown was passing and I was messaging daily with a friend, I had time to explore the Rabbis teachings.
This wise man, just as Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi, this Rabbi shared teachings for today, the modern world, the application of principles to modernity. Using allegory and analogy this man explained how to live a life of joy and growth and spiritual and physical wisdom.
The teachings of Jesus were simple and demonstrated and explained through allegory and practical application. The healing miracles and teachings of sharing and overcoming suffering. His teachings and life are remarkable in showing the world the light of God.
the teaching of the Jewish Rabbi told me a story of the Lobster in captivity. Each time it grew the shell was shed and another likely formed. This growth from inside was uncomfortable, in a shell that no longer fits. This allegory for personal growth in recent years has been the most important teaching and teacher I have had.
The internet allows access to teachers that we would never have know. This is for me the reason why the Rabbis teaching was so influential. Delivering the ancient wisdom through allegory on a digital platform that allows access to every person on the planet ( most have phones or Wi-Fi!)
As I grow through the pain and shedding of my shell to grow another, I share this story, as sharing the miracles of Jesus the Jewish Rabbi, who taught of healing and resurrection and the miracles of God….