Principles of Christlike Teaching: Love Those You Teach

See learners the way God sees them.

Skill

Study recent prophetic messages to understand how Heavenly Father sees young people.

Define

Elder Dale G. Renlund taught, “To effectively serve others we must see them … through Heavenly Father’s eyes” (“Through God’s Eyes,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 94). Living prophets are inspired men called to speak for the Lord. By understanding what prophets are teaching about today’s youth, you can see your students through God’s eyes and know better how to help them at any time. One way to do this is to prayerfully study prophetic messages to discover answers to questions such as the following:

• What are prophets and apostles teaching about the identity of the youth?

• What are leaders of the Church asking young people to do?

• What are prophets and apostles revealing about the Lord’s hopes, desires, feelings about, and expectations for young people?

As you study the words of living prophets to find answers to these questions or some of your own questions, you will grow in your understanding of how God sees the youth of the Church. As you see students more clearly through God’s eyes, you will be inspired to teach and interact with young people in higher and holier ways.

Model

• Sister Antel is about to start her first year teaching institute. Before meeting her students, she studies President Nelson’s talk “Choices for Eternity” while pondering the question “What does the Lord’s prophet want me to understand about the young adults I will be teaching?” She sees more clearly how Heavenly Father sees her students as she reads the following: “First and foremost, you are a child of God. Second, as a member of the Church, you are a child of the covenant. And third, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ.”

• Brother Mueller has been frustrated because the students in his seminary class seem unengaged. He seeks help by studying the most recent general conference addresses to find answers to the question “What did leaders of the Church share about Heavenly Father’s hopes, desires, feelings about, and expectations for young people?” His view of his students is bolstered as he reads Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s words: “My dear friends, let me repeat, if the Savior were standing here today, He would express His endless love for you, His complete confidence in you” (“Jesus Christ Is the Strength of Youth,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 12).

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

• Study a recent prophetic message and look for insights that help you understand how Heavenly Father sees your students.

Incorporate

• Make a list of prophetic statements from the past year that help you see young people through Heavenly Father’s eyes.

Discuss or Ponder

How can seeing young people through God’s eyes affect the way you treat them?

• What are some prophetic statements that have helped you see young people the way Heavenly Father sees them, and what difference has that made for you?

• What are other questions you might ponder while studying prophetic messages to help you better understand the youth of the Church?

Want More?

• Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” (worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022), ChurchofJesusChrist.org

• Dale G. Renlund, “Through God’s Eyes,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 93–94

• Chad H Webb, “His Representatives” (Seminaries and Institutes of Religion annual training broadcast, Jan. 21, 2022), broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Skill

“Think celestial” about your students to help you see them as God does.

Define

President Russell M. Nelson has invited us to “think celestial” by “being spiritually minded” (“Think Celestial!,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 117). You can apply this with your students, and it can help you see them as God sees them. A way this can be done is to consider a student you know and “think celestial” by asking yourself, “What does God know and understand about this student?” This skill can be applied whenever you are interacting with students or thinking about students.

Model

• After a long day, Brother Smith returns home. His wife asks him about his day, and he thinks of sharing a situation he had with a student that didn’t end well. Then he thinks of President Nelson’s invitation to “think celestial” and asks himself, “What does God know and understand about this student?” He shares with his wife, “I had a hard moment with a student this morning, but I’m grateful I know Heavenly Father sent this young man to our class to succeed.”

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

• Consider a student you know and “think celestial” about her or him. What does God know and understand about this student?

• Consider another student you know and “think celestial” about her or him. What does God know and understand about this student?

Discuss or Ponder

• What did you learn through practicing this skill? Why would it be essential to see students as God sees them?

• How might the learning experience be influenced as you consistently “think celestial” about your students?

Incorporate

• What might you do to make “thinking celestial” about your students a habit?

Want More?

• Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 117–120