Teach & Train Those You Care

Read Mark 1:9–13

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Reflection

At the start of Jesus’ ministry, John baptized Jesus with water. Even though Jesus did not need to be baptized, He did it in accordance with the Jewish custom and to identify Himself with sinners. The Jews who were present at the Jordan witnessed Jesus’ humility and His Father’s approval. Shortly after that, the Holy Spirit led Jesus to be tempted by the devil in preparation for the ministry ahead of Him. The devil placed obstacles and distractions that could stumble Jesus in His mission. Using His knowledge of the Scriptures, Jesus defended Himself against the cunningness of the devil. After the temptation, wild beasts threatened Jesus’ physical body, but God had the angels take care of Him in terms of nourishment and protection. It showed that God who chose His Son especially for an all-important mission and prepared Him thoroughly for it and helped Him along when needed.

Corporate Leadership

Many new hires in a company work without much guidance. The human resource personnel gives them the terms of reference, the immediate superior explains to them the scope of work and the colleagues elaborate on what is to be done. Then, the new hires are deemed ready to work. With such rudimentary training, will new hires be productive and meet the expectations of the company? When Jesus came, He did not just “start work”. He showed commitment and was prepared for the mission. Likewise, good leaders do not assign work to their staff flippantly. If new staff members are to do well in their jobs, they have to be screened properly. Then, good leaders are obliged to provide adequate training that clearly explains the tasks. Training also entails a level of supervision. Good leaders should observe the new hires on-the-job and give useful feedback for improvement. Elizabeth II, queen of the United Kingdom, said, “It’s all to do with the training, you can do a lot if you’re properly trained.” — XW

Family Leadership

Bringing up children is not easy. In the growing up years, parents tend to do things for them rather than teach them to do things for themselves. If parents do not teach children to help out with the household chores, then children grow up without the necessary skills to set up their own homes in the future. By the time Jesus was baptized, he was already well prepared by His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary. They brought Him up in the strict Jewish tradition. Even though He was the Son of God, He was obedient to them. Likewise, good parents teach their children. As soon as they are able to understand language, parents can start giving simple instructions and teach them to do simple chores. Elbert Hubbard, an American writer said, “The object of teaching a child is to enable them to get along without their teacher.” — XW

Next: Coach, Not Control