What Would Jesus Do As A Professor?
April 20, 2010 by Steve Pogue
Filed under Discipleship, Priorities, Recent MMMs
University of Alabama
Faculty Commons National Representative
[April 25, 2010]—
As the academic year draws to a close we face both student and departmental evaluations of our performance. How do I evaluate my life as a Christian professor? What would Jesus have me do?
My initial reaction to the WWJD fad/movement a few years ago was to conclude that most of us, myself included, don’t know Jesus well enough to know what He would do in any given circumstance. So I have deliberately focused my devotional life around this idea of knowing Him.
The most important activity in the life of any believer, I have discovered, is to learn of Jesus, to get to know Him. Everything else is a distant second. No matter how I protest, if I put other things before spending time with Him, I don’t value Him as I ought.
Here are a few things I have been learning about Jesus:
He Lived a Focused Life
Jesus didn’t dabble in peripheral issues. Matthew tells us that Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem and the cross that awaited Him there. Satan tried to distract Him by offering Him the kingdoms of the world; the people tried to distract Him by looking for someone to overthrow the rule of Rome. He declined all offers in order to become our sacrifice.
He Accomplished Important Things
Jesus did not respond to what we typically characterize as urgency. When Lazarus was dying, Jesus, to the consternation of His disciples and Lazarus’ family, delayed two days before going to him. Jesus always made time for the important things—time with His Father and with hurting people.
He Sought the Lost
Responding to criticism from the religious leaders of the day for associating with sinners like Zaccheus, a rich tax collector, Jesus said, “And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.” (Luke 19:10 NLT) He could have spent His life secluded as a teacher in the Temple; instead He associated with the common people.
He Taught
I’m doing a series now for our Sunday School class on “Jesus the Teacher.” What a wonderful teacher He was! Many of His illustrations are masterpieces of communication, for example, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the Lost Sheep. The Sermon on the Mount is His unforgettable lesson on godly living.
He Made Disciples
The population of Palestine at the time of Jesus was 2,000,000; the world population was 180,000,000. There was no way He could speak personally with all those people. So He made disciples to communicate His message. His disciples reached the world of their day with the gospel and they continue even to our time to deliver the message of salvation.
Would He do anything differently if He were a professor today? I don’t think so. I believe that His focus and priorities would be the same. His surroundings would be different, but His passion would not.
In the light of this, what should we university professors today be about? Or, for that matter, what should any of us be about? If you would like additional reading along these lines, I would recommend a free download of a little booklet I wrote several years ago, What Would Jesus Do At My University?
© 2010 Joseph McRae Mellichamp
In His Hands
April 14, 2010 by Steve Pogue
Filed under Caring About Colleagues, Recent MMMs, Sharing Your Faith, Suffering
Sauchi Stephen Lee,
Statistics,
University of Idaho
Statistics,
University of Idaho
[April 18, 2010]—
I can still recall the day when I asked my chairman, “Do you think of spiritual things at times?”
It was more than a decade ago that I met Al Manson. He was applying to become the first formal chair of our Division of Statistics. He came across as a motivated man talking about future goals and action plans. He had a deep voice that evoked determination, an inviting smile, and sharp eyes reflecting his insights.
A Capable Colleague
We soon came to know him professionally as a capable colleague. Our conversations were basically on the collegial level, rarely personal. He said what he meant, he meant what he said, and nothing much beyond what was necessary. Yet he was very supportive when I went through the tedious tenure and promotion process in 1998.
Then Al was diagnosed with cancer. His life, I realized, might not include all the goals and plans he had so thoughtfully begun in our department. So one day over lunch I asked him that question “Do you think much about spiritual things?”
He replied: “I think of spiritual things everyday.” I was surprised because we seldom had any interaction or communication on this level. He was becoming more aware of his Christian faith and the importance of his personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
I Love My Job
He began to be more open about his life. At a faculty meeting he said, “I have no fear of dying. I know that I am right with God. I am looking forward to work everyday until I am no longer able to work. I love my job.”
It took a lot of courage for him to share his belief and his personal relationship with God in front of the entire faculty at a departmental meeting. He delivered what was in his heart calmly and naturally. Spiritual reality had become so real and true for a man suddenly looking from earth into eternity.
Al set up a good example of successful leadership: he led with his whole being and stayed committed to doing excellent work. He kept teaching two classes despite being weak. Over lunch in one of his final months he was more interested in talking about ways to minimize the impact of the university budget cuts on our division than to talk about his health condition.
He Had The Strength
The day prior to his death, my wife and I had the privilege of visiting him. He looked pale and tired, but was conscious and sharp, showing no expressions of pain. For the duration of our visit he had the strength to hold our hands tightly.
We told him that we were proud of him and that he was fighting a good fight.From his hospital bed he asked us to pray with him. As we prayed together, he firmly and repeatedly said three words I would never forget: “In His Hands.”
© 2010 Sauchi Stephen Lee