Teacher vs. teacher

In Matthew 23:10, Jesus cautions the crowds.  The hypocritical ways of the Pharisees are not to be followed.  The teachers of the law had been seeking the attention of men, and Jesus stepped in to encourage everyone to do the opposite.  Respect this role of teacher, He said, but don’t imitate their self-serving ways.  He instructs, “Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.”  And upon reading that sentence, I suddenly paused.  How do we view this role of teacher?  I have known the role of schoolteacher to be humbling, for I have seen students pose questions for which I had no immediate answer.  I have known the role of parental teacher to be humbling, for when needing to teach my daughters to share their toys, I quickly remembered one time not wanting to share my Hershey's chocolate.  Never do I want to approach a teaching role on the assumption I have a final understanding of any particular subject, for there's always a new perspective to come.  Yet with another kind of humility, I’ve learned also not to automatically decline a teaching role because I lack qualifications on paper.  The Lord may want to teach someone through me, even without formal schooling on my part.  Years ago, some fellow piano players offered me their overflow of piano students, yet I rather quickly declined.  More recently, some friends asked me to teach piano, and I dismissed the notion again.  Yet these friends persisted, and I finally asked the Lord what to do.  I don’t hold a music degree.  Neither did I study at a music conservatory.  The Lord has been my music teacher primarily, and on the occasions I did study through a formal school or private instructor, it was mostly oboe.  Turns out I’ve now been immensely blessed to teach piano, sharing openly about the Lord as our ultimate Teacher.  He guides both me and my dear friends who are students.  And with church, when asked to teach about the Bible and the Lord, I rely on the Lord’s qualifications.  On formal paper, I have only CEUs.  No Bible college degree.  Yet what a joy to share with others my experiences with the Lord.  He is the only One for whom I spell teacher with a capital T.