Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Encouragement (among believers) (11/08/07)
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TITLE: The Summons | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shan Gillard
11/11/07 -
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As I made my way down the long hall, every possibility concerning why I would have been summoned to the headmaster’s office entered my mind.
Could there be an irate parent waiting for me? I didn’t think so. I couldn’t think of any incidents with students recently that were particularly confrontational. I got along well with my students, but they were typical moody junior high students. From time to time I would receive my share of “You don’t like me!” when grades were not what a student thought he deserved, or discipline had to be handed out. I pushed that thought aside.
My thoughts moved to my own children – could there be something wrong with one of them? My oldest daughter sometimes had to be sent home with an asthma attack, but in that case I was usually just informed that she was ill. I wasn’t summoned to the office. My parents came to pick her up. Sometimes my second daughter, who has ADHD, would get in trouble for disrupting class. What could be serious enough to remove me from my classroom? She was only six.
I thought back over the past year. It had been a very difficult year. I was a single parent teaching in a small Christian school. Having unusually high medical bills had taken their toll, to the point that there was nothing left for Christmas presents. As we approached Christmas, I sat my children down and explained to them that I would not have enough money to buy Christmas presents for them that year. I had always taught them to pray that the Lord would give me enough money to buy their presents, rather than teaching them that Santa Claus brought their gifts. It was with a heavy heart that I had to say the money just was not there. They would have gifts from their grandparents and aunts and uncles, and I would make them some clothes, but I could not possibly buy them anything. Although they stoically accepted what I was saying, I knew it was hard for such small children to understand.
I had reached the headmaster’s office. Wiping the sweat from my palms and sending up a quick prayer, I knocked on the door, then turned the knob and entered when bidden.
Inside, I was surprised to see one of the members of our church sitting in one of the seats. I didn’t know him very well, but he had a daughter in the four-year-old kindergarten class with my son.
Rising, he spoke up, “The Lord put you on my heart today, and I want you to have this.” He handed me a wad of rolled up bills. “Don’t use this for medical bills or anything else but Christmas presents for your children.”
I thanked him and he was gone.
“Did you see how much he gave you?” asked Dr. Gilliam.
“No.” I was so surprised I had not even peeked. Imagine my shock when I opened my hand to find $400.00! It was more than I had ever spent on my children for Christmas at that point in time.
I doubt any of us could tell you what the gifts were that year, but we can all remember the thrill as I shared with the children that God had indeed provided for them to have the best Christmas presents ever through the kindness of an obedient Christian.
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