Lasting Influence

I know I have already posted three times in the last seven days, but I have to talk about what I got to do today.  I'm pretty sure it's an opportunity that most people don't get. I got to thank a teacher who was important in my life, and I got to do it with the people who are important in my life now, who are also teachers.

We returned to school after our Christmas break to a teacher workday.  At GRACE, that means we start the day with a little breakfast, a few worship songs, and a devotion.  I got to introduce our devotional speaker, who was my science teacher during my freshman year.  I spent much of Christmas break figuring out and rehearsing what I planned to say because this man has influenced my life so much, and I wanted to do justice to his influence.  I didn't cry when I rehearsed it at home, but I did get choked up while I was speaking.  If it weren't for the bright stage lights interfering with my vision, I'm not sure I could have gotten through it.

I teach the same course that this man taught me, so I think about him often.  My own students benefit from his teaching because I use some of those same elements today.  He was patient with approximately 1.27 million questions I asked him, which reminds me to be patient with my own students.  My memories of his godly influence have even helped me to figure out how to reveal the gospel in my classes.  I was in his class in the 1990/1991 school year, so we are talking about an influence that has lasted 27 years.

After his excellent devotion about the woman who wept on the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her tears, my former student and current colleague introduced herself to him.  It was like having three generations of teachers even though we aren't related, and it was a really special moment.

I've had a very full heart all day, and I've been reflecting a lot this evening while waiting for the snow that just doesn't want to arrive.  We talk a lot about the influence of teachers, but today really reminded me of just how long lasting that impact can be.  My students, who have never met this man, are still benefitting from the influence of his ministry.  Hannah's students may benefit from it as well because she got at least a tiny bit from me.  When I tweeted a picture of him from this morning with a comment about it, comments from many of his former students came in about his influence in their lives.  Many of them are parents and/or teachers who are passing his faithfulness along to those they influence.  We have the opportunity, every time God puts someone in front of us, to give them something that they may then give to someone else.  While today was all about the good influence that has lasted in my life, it also reminded me to be careful of the opposite because that influence can be long term as well.  Take every opportunity to be patient, kind, joyful, and helpful in your interactions with others, especially kids.  You have no idea how far it may travel.