Tuesday Text: Chapter 3: Sane Perception, Section 9: The Fear of Teaching

         What is any interpersonal relationship for? 

          As teachers we don’t misperceive because of factors like number of students, the condition of the classroom, or the hour of the class. The difference between students and TOGs (teachers of God) is not lasting. Since we are in time, we have temporary differences, theoretically as the teacher I have more experience and ability with the Course, but we are meeting in order to get rid of the differences. As TOGs our goal is to give the students more of what is temporarily ours. We take the miracle principles into account. The TOG or miracle worker gives more to those who have less bringing them closer to equality. At the same time TOGs gain. In spiritual giving everyone gets ahead. 

          The confusion is because teachers and students do not gain the same things because they don’t need the same things. If they did, their temporary roles would not be mutually beneficial. Freedom from fear can be achieved by both if you don’t compare their needs or positions in regard to higher and lower. They are equals- there are no levels. Children learn from parents. Parents learn too, at a different order. Ultimately there is no difference in order, this involves only knowledge. 

          Their relationship would not exist at all if it was on different levels. Teacher and student are the same. The authority problem- children have it if they believe their image is made by authority. This is an act of will on your part because you are influenced by the authority. You are electing to misperceive the authority and give him power. A TOG with an authority problem is a student who refuses to teach others. He wants to keep himself in a position where he can be misused and misperceived. This makes him resent teaching because of what He insists it has done to him. Jesus talks about leaving the desert twice (in this section). Release everyone involved by refusing to honor error and make it real.

          The TOG and student are not imprisoned by learning unless they see it as an attack. If you do this you will be imprisoned whether you teach or learn or refuse to engage at all. The role of TOG is leading yourself and others out of the desert. Do not underestimate this role, this is the role to which Jesus gladly devoted his own life. He has repeatedly asked us to follow him. This means that to be effective we must interpret the teaching as He does. He tries to teach us entirely without fear. If you do not listen, you make the obvious error of perceiving teaching as a threat. 

          Teaching produces learning, the purpose of all learning is to abolish fear, this is so that knowledge can happen. The role of teacher is not the role of God. This confusion is too often made by parents, teachers, therapists and clergy. It is a real misunderstanding of God and His miracles. If a TOG believes teaching is fearful he is paralyzed. He can’t really teach. 

          If you decide you can function in some roles but not others, you are attempting to make a compromise which won’t work. If you think you are coping with your fear of teaching by functioning in related roles , but not as a teacher of students, you are deceiving yourself. 

          You can function in any of the roles you have taken to fill, or you can’t be effective in any of them, This is an all or none choice. There are no levels, you are capable or you are not. Do or do not do, there is no try. You are completely miracle minded or not.