You never know who’s in your class

As a new school year begins, a reminder to teachers: You never know who is in your class and how on any given day, your comments and discussion may have an eternal impact broader than you could ever imagine.

For those of you involved in teaching K-12 students…

• Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell shared about the impact his quirky high school English teacher had on his writing skills and life here.
• A grade 5 boy says, “I credit my education to Ms. Mabel Hefty just as much as I would any institution of higher learning.” We know that boy now as President Barack Obama.
• My friend, neighbour, and all-around funny guy Phil Callaway tells about Mr. Bienert, also a high school English teacher, who saw his talent for communicating and as Phil describes “was the first teacher who actually wanted me in their class.” Mr. Bienert also took Phil, myself, my brother, and many other students over the years to junior hockey games and tournaments and taught us many life lessons outside the classroom.

For those of you who teach in post-secondary institutions, did you know…

• WillowCreek church (and the WillowCreek Leadership organization) began because “At Trinity College, 20-year-old Bill Hybels sat captivated by the beautiful picture New Testament professor Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian painted of the first church as described in Acts chapter 2. “When I left Dr. B’s classroom that day,” Bill says, “I went out to my car, put my head on the steering wheel, and cried. The dream of being part of such a church had taken root in my soul.” (from http://www.WillowCreek.org website)
  
• The founders of Together for the Gospel, Dr Don Carson and Dr. Timothy Keller (also pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York city) recently offered appreciation for the teaching ministry of Dr Alec Motyer, a much less well-known Bible teacher & scholar. See full tribute here.

So as students of all ages return to school this week, remember teachers: You never know who is in your class today and how God will use the person in the future.