Little brown heads poke around from the corners. With a smirk on their face they give a little wave and yell, “Teacha! Teacha!” Everywhere we go that chant is ringing. Children we know and children we’ve never seen sing this phrase over and over again until there is some kind of response from us back at them. Sometimes they will even trickle in from their hiding and form a crowd around and behind us. With joy and laughter rolling from their mouth, all they want to do is touch us, have us take a photo or laugh at us. Some even want food or money. Whether it be a wave back, smile or a “good morning”, all they want is to be noticed, heard, and seen.
I can”t help but think and wonder, maybe they want more than just to be noticed. Maybe, they see something different in me. Not my skin or hair color. Not even the way I talk. Maybe, they chant “Teacha! Teacha!” for an entirely different reason. A different reason other than just to shake my hand and smile at me. Maybe they see something intriguing about me. Maybe they see healing in me. Maybe they think and know my words are not my own. Maybe they see Jesus Christ!
It makes me wonder how it would have been like for Jesus. I wonder if people chanted this same phrase as they trickled from all corners of the earth just to see Him, hear Him and be healed. Crowds of people packed around him. Wanting to be near Him, people forced their way through the crowd just to touch the hem of His garment. (Matthew 8:40-48) Thousands of people surrounded Jesus daily. He couldn’t escape them. Even after the news of His best friend being dead, He tried to withdraw, but couldn’t escape. They followed him. (Matthew 14:13-21) However, He never once shooed them away. Instead He ministered to over 5000 people’s needs at a time and healed them. Every single one! He even fed them food until they were full.
Jesus was followed everywhere. Even the people who were annoyed by Him followed Him. Whether He liked it or not, He was followed and I’m sure they all chanted a similar phrase as “Teacha! Teacha!” And if it wasn’t that, it was a load of questions, concerns, issues, miracles waiting to be performed and stories to be told. Jesus never neglected their needs. He always met them where they were at. He never ignored their questions and never hesitated to heal. As these children come out from their hiding places yelling “Teacha! Teacha!” to me, I am determined never to leave them neglected without meeting one of their needs. Jesus was no ordinary man and the world knew that! I am no ordinary woman and I believe this world knows that! I’m Christ representative. I am definitely not Jesus, but I am most certainly His mouth piece. His hands. His feet.
