Five Minute Friday : Remember

A Lady Named Dorothy

As my father and I were reminiscing about our old church and its members the other day, my mind went back, all the way back to an older Sunday School teacher I had in that church. Dorothy. For years, I thought it would be a good thing to write to her and tell her I'm sorry. The years passed, the letter never got written, and Dorothy went home to be with the Lord.

You see, Dorothy was one of the brave souls who dared to take a class full of giddy, self-centered, adolescent girls who were into themselves, their clothes, and their friends. It wasn't as much a learning opportunity for us as a social one. We got to see all the friends from church who didn't go to our school. We waited all week. So did Dorothy. Only she was studying and preparing her lesson, her heart, her mind to teach us and we weren't always tuned in. I am sure there were Sundays that Dorothy was convinced she was wasting her time.

So, if Dorothy were still here, I would like to say that I am:

• Sorry for all the Sundays where you were prepared and we weren't.
• Sorry for all the Bible stories you tried to tell us where we showed no interest.
• Sorry for all the times we cared more about our lip gloss and perfume than the truths of God's Word.
• Sorry for all the times we wrote notes to each other, passed the notes, read them, and then giggled and interrupted the important point you were trying to make.
• And sorry, Dorothy, for all of the talking, moving around, and disturbances about which you were eminently patient and kind. 

We pushed you, I know, but you were gracious and never showed any anger, or even mild agitation. You were kind when we weren't and cared more about our tender hearts and eternal destinies than having a class of quiet, obedient students.

And for all of the current Sunday School teachers out there, I wish you could have met Dorothy, could have watched this composed, sweet, older woman of God share what she knew with a group of kids who were so hard to teach, so hard to reach. I'll bet if Dorothy could have met you, she would tell you to be kind no matter what. I'll bet she would encourage you to look at the kids in your class as lost souls and not troublesome brats, and to keep on trying to get God's all-important plan of salvation through the talking, the movement, and the distractions until, finally, a seed is dropped into fertile ground. Because maybe, just maybe, one or more of these girls will eventually accept Christ as her Saviour and be heaven-bound and a child of God because you were there to make a difference.