Analyze yourself and see where improvements can be made. Someone has said, “What you are is God’s gift to you. What you become is your gift to Him.” By becoming an effective teacher, you have great opportunities to influence people for good. Develop the art of getting along with people, learn the Bible, and become self-confident. Get down to the “grass roots” in developing individuals as Christians, lay up treasure in heaven (Luke 12:21), and be one who molds character.

Improvement can come through encouragement from within or without. You can improve by thinking of the importance of your work; thinking of the challenge of your work—its unlimited possibilities; thinking of the reward of your work—the joy when one you taught becomes a Christian or develops into a better one; and actual words of encouragement from others—not flattery but in sincerity.

Improvement can come through self-supervision. Study yourself constantly. Try to develop your own spiritual life further. Learn to accept criticism from yourself and others. Concentrate on your weak points until they are mastered. Take advantage of opportunities. Make a conscious effort to try out the techniques you learn, realizing that many will come naturally but others must be worked on.

Improvement can come through intensified study. A “know-it-all” attitude is out of place. We must always remember there is much we do not know. The more you learn, though, the more you will want to learn. Develop good reading habits. Even establish some kind of reading schedule for yourself.

Improvement can come through other people. Learn by seeing others at work. Observe other teachers. Do not mimic someone’s faults but imitate their good points. Ask someone in whom you have confidence to sit in on your classes. Ask for frank appraisals of your work.

The greatest improvement can come through imitating Jesus Christ, the Master Teacher. He knew His students and their needs. He was master of the subject He was teaching. He lived in accordance with the demands He made of others. He had a keen intellect and reasoning power. He had emotion, energy, and personality. He had aims in His work that would cause those who learned from Him to be better physically, morally, aesthetically, intellectually, vocationally, and spiritually.

Improvement comes through prayer. Prayer is a source of strength and wisdom for the Christian. It is a blessing that should never be taken for granted. It is that which should be offered every day. From prayer comes great blessings (James 5:16). Use it to God’s glory and your benefit. —Gene Taylor

“An instructor . . . a teacher of babes” —Romans 2:20