Scott

A few weeks ago, I walked into Scott’s classroom. I hadn’t darkened the door of his room in over four years. Way back then, Scott taught a small bible study at one of Denver’s largest churches. And today? He’s still at it. Same Scott. Same church. Same bible.


But I’ve changed a bit. Today, I’m a quiet learner. I’m here to observe, to absorb. It’s amazing what you learn when you’re humble to your core.

I look around.

The class requires a minimum 3 hours of homework per week, so it attracts the sort of people who want to dig deep. I admire my fellow students, the loud and opinionated, the quite and reflective, the one who’s fallen behind. Each wears a mask, as we all do in public. But I don’t imagine their masks are intentionally deceptive. They just are. As masks must be.

Good teachers try to reach around or behind our masks. Scott’s a good teacher. He asks the probing questions. He waits for us to ponder, then formulate, and finally share our responses. He creates an atmosphere of trust and an environment conducive to thinking openly. We open, we share, we learn, we grow.

Here’s to the good teachers among us, those special people who delight in helping us discover our world and our place in it.