from the pen of Jeff Joyner
It was a normal Sunday, and my parents walked me to my Sunday School class at church. The first half of the class was filled with several planned activities to keep us four and five year olds occupied. During one of the games, I overheard a children’s worker asking another, if she would teach the lesson, because the regular teacher was sick. Though reluctant to do so, she finally agreed. Once the activities concluded, she walked to the front of the class.
Always the intuitive kid, I noticed that she seemed extremely nervous as she began. The lesson was about David and Goliath, and how God used the extraordinary faith of David to bring the giant down. As she continued, her nervousness seemed to increase. As I glanced around the room, none of the other kids even seemed to notice. It finally got so bad, that I closed my eyes, and said a silent prayer on her behalf. Then something happened that I will never forget. As she continued to talk about David’s willingness to be used by God, a peace began to come over her face. It was as if I could visibly see her begin to trust God, just as David did when he went against Goliath. Though I was a pre-schooler, it made such an impact on me, that I walked up to her, and thanked her for the lesson that day.
I don’t know who that Sunday School teacher was, or whatever became of her. But what I do know, is that the words she shared that day, have been permanently imprinted on my heart ever since. And because she was willing to trust God, and give Him everything she had, I was able to leave that Sunday School class, ready and willing to be a warrior for God, for the rest of my life.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6