There is almost an expectation that not training in force usage is somehow a waste, but that is a perspective rarely expressed by the jedi, and not really by the narrative. Star Wars is equally populated by ‘ordinary’ heroes as it is by jedi, from Leia and Han and Chewbacca and most of the rebellion to Padme and Bail and Shmi- and the jedi who interact with them have the utmost respect for these people. They do not hold themselves as superior to these people, and in their work, more often than not, they position themselves as the support of the hero, not as the one who swoops in and saves the day.
They are protecting and advising the teenage queen of Naboo. They are protecting the senator who speaks for democracy from assassination. They are organizing a coup expressly in order to hold an election. They did not bring peace to Mandalore, they helped the person who would. Did Leia miss out on force training? Or did she have the tools she needed to do the work she needed to do? Why was Obi Wan content to leave her without force training?
It’s true that Qui Gon looked at Anakin and thought that he needed to be trained. But strangely, he is an outlier. More often the jedi in universe just don’t… seem to think it’s necessary or a waste, or that their position even gives them such a great advantage. They’re not, generally, in great haste to adopt every child who is force sensitive. They’re not, generally, prone to considering themselves so much more powerful and important than everyone else. They’d rather a child is happy, wherever that is.
This articulates something I’ve been trying to grasp for awhile and it just lights my brain up to read this. The Jedi clearly value being Jedi, but also value that there are many roles in the galaxy that are important–and they generally seem to see themselves as being there to help support others doing good work. And that it’s another reason why they joined the war (in amongst the whole “either fight or everyone dies” theme Lucas was going for), because they saw their role as overall support, rather than doing everything themselves. The Jedi don’t see themselves as better than others, they don’t see themselves as the answer to the galaxy’s problems, but that they’re there to help others along, they’re there to facilitate a better way, they’re there to do their part to support someone else who is a hero. I can see them thinking that was their role to play in the fighting in the war as well, that they were in the middle of the battle and leading troops, sure, but it was still a role of supporting others in defending themselves, in retaking back their own cities, in saving their own citizens’ innocent lives. Time and again, we see the Jedi working with the local populations, Ima-Gun-Di working with Cham Syndulla, Anakin and Kit and Ahsoka working with Lee Char, Anakin working with Lyonie, Obi-Wan telling Riyo Chuchi that she must be the leader her people need instead of ordering the Jedi to do it, etc., rather than just coming in and doing everything themselves. They don’t see themselves as more important than non-Force-sensitive heroes fighting to help their people
