Teacher Love | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Teacher Love | Previous Challenge Entry
By Wayne Harris
10/26/06
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

Teacher Love

“My Pa says you killed a teenager in Tombstone,” said Peter O’Rourke. His teeth needed brushing. So did his red hair. “Is that true, Mr. Jackson?”
Tom Jackson felt a rush of blood surge upward to his head. He forced a smile. “Yes, Peter,” he replied. “I was in a gunfight with a teenager named Robert Davis. It was kill or be killed, son. I was a law officer. He was breakin’ the law.”
“Pa says you ain’t fit to teach me nothin’.”
“I didn’t plan on teachin’ anybody anything, boy.”
“Then why are you teachin’ us?”
Jackson ran his right hand through his thick crop of black hair. “I met a man, an awesome man. He taught me about teacher love.”
“What’s that?” asked Sally Barton as she squinted to see through her scratched-up spectacles.
“He didn’t exactly explain it,” said Jackson. “He poured it into my life.”
“Poured it?” asked Sally.
“He had it,” said Jackson. “He had so much of it that it took hold in my heart.”
“How did you know that he had it?” asked Peter.
“He gave it to me. Now I have it. I have it for you.”
Sally stood to her feet in the small Texas schoolhouse. “What did he give you?”
“He told me a story about how people murdered him. He was an innocent man. They nailed him to a cross between two thieves. He told me he died right there on that cross of wood.”
“Where did the teacher love come from, then?” asked Peter.
“He already had it when he died,” said Jackson.
“Are you sayin’ he loved the people that murdered him?” asked Peter.
“Yeah,” said Jackson. “He loved them even though they killed him.”
“So,” asked Peter, “what does his love have to do with you bein’ our teacher?”
“After shootin’ Robert Davis,” said Jackson, “my life fell apart. People called me child killer. I was mocked and ridiculed. I was ready to give up on life when the Teacher reached out and changed my heart.”
“What does he look like?” asked Sally.
“Love. He is love. I felt so unclean in his presence. I told him I regretted ever killin’ that boy. In fact, I regretted every bad thing I had ever done. He told me that I was forgiven. I felt it. I felt forgiven. The heavy load that had been weighin’ me down was gone.”
Sally looked at Peter. Peter looked down at the floor. The other students were unusually still and quiet. Finally, Sally stared into Tom Jackson’s eyes. “Sounds like you are talkin’ about Jesus Christ.”
“I am!” said Jackson. “He changed my life.”
“The one who gave you teacher love is Jesus?” asked Peter.
“That’s why I am here,” answered Jackson. “I’m here to teach you and let the love of Jesus overflow in this schoolhouse.”
Suddenly the door flew open. Two large men in uniforms walked to the front of the room. “Mr. Jackson,” the tall one with the big belly said, “you are under arrest.”
“For what?” asked Tom Jackson.
“We planted a microphone in here,” the man said. “You were teachin’ these children religion.”
“I was tellin’ them about teacher love,” responded Jackson.
“And what about that, over there in the corner?” asked the security guard.
“That’s my Ten Commandments placard. It came from the Teacher.”
They escorted Tom Jackson from the room. The principal, Baylor Henson, raised both hands. “Calm down, children. Everything’s under control.”
Peter walked up to Mr. Henson. He just stood there, gazing in Henson’s eyes. The other students watched Peter, wondering what he was doing.
Mr. Henson bent down. “Son, do you have a question?”
“You don’t have teacher love, do you?” asked the boy.
“What’s teacher love?” asked the principal.
A young girl in the corner, Annie Champion, had her head bowed. Her lips were moving. She raised a hand upward.
The other students followed her example. A small rumble of voices grew louder and louder. Mr. Henson walked over to Annie to listen in.
“What are you doing, young lady?” asked Henson.
“Prayin’ that I might find what Mr. Jackson found.”
“Prayin’ ain’t allowed!” Henson screamed.
Peter raised his head from prayer. He reached out to Mr. Henson. “We love you, Mr. Henson. We have somethin’ we’d like to teach you.”
“What could you possibly teach me?”
Peter replied, “Teacher love.”

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.