Teach About Jesus Christ No Matter What...

Teach about Jesus Christ No Matter What...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a manual for teachers called Teaching in the Savior’s Way. One of the first sections in this manual is entitled, “Teach about Jesus Christ No Matter What You Are Teaching.” Here is what it says:

There are many things to teach about in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ—principles, commandments, prophecies, and scripture stories. But all of these are branches of the same tree, for they all have one purpose: to help all people come unto Christ and be perfected in Him (see Jarom 1:11; Moroni 10:32). So no matter what you are teaching, remember that you are really teaching about Jesus Christ and how to become like Him. The Holy Ghost can help you learn to recognize truths about the Savior and His redeeming power in each gospel principle, commandment, and prophetic teaching (see Jacob 7:10–11).

Here goes my doofusness again. My first thought when reading this was, “Yeah. Of course. That makes sense. No problem.” However, when I really look at my own actions and efforts, I realize that this is harder than it sounds.

For example, today I read in Genesis about when Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him a blessing in place of Esau. This is such a strange story. I wonder how in the world I can relate this to Jesus Christ.

In this story, Isaac has gotten old and blind, and he tells Esau to go catch some venison and cook it up for him. Then he says he will give Esau a blessing. Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, overhears this and she tells Jacob to pretend to be Esau in order to get the blessing in his place. Jacob does this, receives the blessing, and Esau gets mad and wants to kill him. Jacob ends up fleeing for his life and they are eventually reconciled later in life.

How in the world does this story teach about Jesus Christ? It’s not an easy thing to grasp.

Maybe that can be a lesson in and of itself: we don’t understand God’s ways at times. Let’s ask this question: Was the Lord involved in this strange set of circumstances? It does say later in Genesis that the Lord was with Jacob. Maybe the Lord guided Rebekah to do what she did. Maybe the lesson is to do what your mom tells you!

Jacob is blessed to have blessings of wealth and leadership in his posterity. We know that comes true. We know God uses small and simple means, but maybe sometimes He uses very strange means to bring about His will. That seems to be the case here.

I personally have to stretch to connect this to Christ. Perhaps God is involved in my life in more ways than I realize. Maybe he placed people and opportunities in my way. I can think of many things that have seemed to just fall into place for me, and I am so blessed.

So let’s think about this strange story involving Jacob, Esau, Isaac, and Rebekah and apply it to our own lives. How is God involved in your experiences and relationships. Think about people around you and think about how maybe God wants this to influence and bless your life, especially if you are in a covenant relationship with God. If you are, then God is literally with you.