Take a lesson from the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. (Luke 6:40) Whether Jesus was speaking to a crowd on a mountainside or to just a few people as they walked on the road, what he said and the way he said it made a lasting impression. Jesus stimulated the minds and hearts of his listeners, and he made practical application that they could understand. Can you accomplish similar things?

Rely on Jehovah

Jesus’ teaching ability was enhanced both by the intimate relationship that he had with his heavenly Father and by the blessing of God’s spirit. Do you earnestly pray to Jehovah to be able to conduct a home Bible study effectively? If you are a parent, do you regularly pray for divine guidance in teaching your children? Do you offer heartfelt prayer when preparing to give talks or to conduct meetings? Such prayerful reliance on Jehovah will help you become a more effective teacher.

Dependence on Jehovah is also manifested by reliance on his Word, the Bible. In prayer on the final evening of his life as a perfect human, Jesus said to his Father: “I have given your word to them.” (John 17:14) Though Jesus had vast experience, he never spoke of his own originality. He always spoke what his Father taught him, thereby leaving an example for us to follow. (John 12:49, 50) God’s word, as preserved in the Bible, has power to influence people​—their actions, inmost thoughts, and feelings. (Heb. 4:12) As you grow in knowledge of God’s Word and learn to use it well in your ministry, you will be developing the sort of teaching ability that draws people to God.​—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

Honor Jehovah

Being a teacher in imitation of Christ is not simply a matter of being able to give an interesting discourse. True, people marveled at Jesus’ “winsome words.” (Luke 4:22) But what was Jesus’ objective in speaking well? It was to honor Jehovah, not to draw attention to himself. (John 7:16-18) And he urged his followers: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens.” (Matt. 5:16) That counsel should influence the way we teach. It ought to be our aim to avoid anything that would detract from that objective. So when planning what we will say or how we will say it, we do well to ask ourselves, ‘Will this deepen appreciation for Jehovah, or will it attract attention to me?’

Jesus repeatedly employed this teaching device. He contrasted the popular understanding of the Mosaic Law with the true intent of the Law. (Matt. 5:21-48) He differentiated true godly devotion from the hypocritical acts of the Pharisees. (Matt. 6:1-18) He contrasted the spirit of those who ‘lorded it over’ others with the self-sacrificing spirit that his followers would show. (Matt. 20:25-28) On another occasion, recorded at Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus invited his listeners to draw their own contrast between self-righteousness and true repentance. That leads us to another valuable facet of good teaching.

Encourage Listeners to Think

At Matthew 21:28, we read that Jesus introduced his comparison by asking: “What do you think?” A capable teacher does not simply relate facts or give answers. Instead, he encourages his listeners to cultivate thinking ability. (Prov. 3:21; Rom. 12:1) This is done, in part, by asking questions. As found at Matthew 17:25, Jesus asked: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive duties or head tax? From their sons or from the strangers?” Jesus’ thought-provoking questions helped Peter draw his own correct conclusion about paying the temple tax. Similarly, when responding to the man who asked, “Who really is my neighbor?” Jesus contrasted the actions of a priest and a Levite with those of a Samaritan. Then he posed this question: “Who of these three seems to you to have made himself neighbor to the man that fell among the robbers?” (Luke 10:29-36) Here again, rather than thinking for his listener, Jesus invited him to answer his own question.​—Luke 7:41-43.

Reach for the Heart

Teachers who grasp the sense of God’s Word realize that true worship is not merely a matter of memorizing certain facts and conforming to certain rules. It is built on a good relationship with Jehovah and appreciation for his ways. Such worship involves the heart. (Deut. 10:12, 13; Luke 10:25-27) In the Scriptures, the term “heart” often refers to the whole inner person, including such things as desires, affections, feelings, and motivations.

Jesus knew that while humans look at the outward appearance, God sees what the heart is. (1 Sam. 16:7) Our service to God should be motivated by our love for him, not by efforts to impress fellow humans. (Matt. 6:5-8) On the other hand, the Pharisees did many things for outward show. They put great emphasis on conformity to details of the Law and compliance with rules of their own making. But they failed to manifest in their lives the qualities that would identify them with the God whom they professed to worship. (Matt. 9:13; Luke 11:42) Jesus taught that while obedience to God’s requirements is important, the value of such obedience is determined by what is in the heart. (Matt. 15:7-9; Mark 7:20-23; John 3:36) Our teaching will accomplish the greatest good if we imitate Jesus’ example. It is important that we help people to learn what God requires of them. But it is also important for them to know and love Jehovah as a person so that their conduct becomes a reflection of the value they place on an approved relationship with the true God.

Of course, to benefit from such teaching, people need to face up to what is in their own hearts. Jesus encouraged people to analyze their motives and to examine their feelings. When correcting a wrong view, he would ask his listeners why they thought, said, or did certain things. Yet, so as not to leave it at that, Jesus coupled his query with a statement, an illustration, or an action that encouraged them to view matters correctly. (Mark 2:8; 4:40; 8:17; Luke 6:41, 46) We can likewise help our listeners by suggesting that they ask themselves such questions as: ‘Why does this course of action appeal to me? Why do I react to this situation as I do?’ Then supply motivation for them to view matters from Jehovah’s standpoint.