Recently, while thinking through the account of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler, the phrase, “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him…” (Mark 10:21a, ESV) kept running through my mind.
Each August, with the quickly approaching academic year, I begin to “feel the nerves” of another fresh group of students entering our program—joining those seasoned veterans returning from a summer of broadly ranging experiences.
I always have to grapple with my tendency to become tightly focused on “the job”— helping students work through last-minute registration issues, ensuring my course notes are up to date and revised, and generally steeling myself for the race about to begin.
But, as I have matured over the past 32 years in academia, the Lord has graciously turned my heart more intensely toward His love for my students.
Coming from a strong discipling ministry during my undergraduate and graduate years, I was trained well in the “art of disciple-making”. I entered higher education intending to impact others with the gospel. But, with the “task orientation” that comes with an engineering background, I sometimes slipped from viewing students as individuals, uniquely created by God, to seeing the ministry as a “job to do.”
In Jesus’ conversation in Mark 10 with the well-to-do young Jewish ruler, He didn’t ignore this individual’s true need for salvation. He saw beyond the young ruler’s experiences to the real obstacle confronting his belief. Yet, Jesus did so with the ultimate expression of love—that from a Holy God.
Of course, I can never see perfectly into the deepest needs of my students. But, I can pray and work to love them with the love of my Lord and see beyond the day-to-day “grind” in the classroom and laboratory to view the deeper needs they each face—especially during what is perhaps one of the most crucial periods of their lives.
A few years ago, one of my students named Dylan came to ask me if I would be willing to meet with him and disciple him. He was involved with one of the Christian student groups on campus. Despite the intensity of my work schedule, I knew this was a direct answer to the prayers my wife and I have been praying. We so wanted to become more involved in reaching students.
When I said “yes” to Dylan, I ended up discipling a group of Christian student leaders that year. The following year, another group of students approached me to lead them in a Bible study.
Let’s learn to see with the eyes of Jesus and step into the lives of our students.
Bill Elmore
Mississippi State University