What Difference Can I Make

Issue 10          [March 7, 2010]

Miss Thompson

by Robert Strand

      Teddy Stallard certainly qualified as “one of the least”. . .  disinterested in school, musty, wrinkled clothes, hair never combed, one of those kids with a deadpan face, unfocused stare. Unattractive, unmotivated, and distant, he was just plain hard to like.

      Even though his teacher said she loved all in her class the same, she wasn’t completely truthful. She should have known better, she had Teddy’s records and she knew more about him than she wanted to. The records showed that while Teddy was a good boy, he had little help from home. His mother was dead and his father was disinterested.

      Christmas came and the boys and girls in Miss

Thompson’s class brought presents. Among the presents was one from Teddy Stallard, wrapped in brown paper and scotch tape. When the teacher opened it, out fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume.

      The other children began to giggle . . . But Miss Thompson put on the bracelet and some of the perfume on her wrist. Holding up her wrist for the children to smell, she said, “Doesn’t it smell lovely?” The children ooohed and aaahed, taking their cue from their teacher.

      When school was over that day, Teddy lingered behind. He slowly came over to her desk and said softly, “Miss Thompson . . Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother . . And her bracelet looks real pretty on you too.

      The next day the children had a new teacher; Miss Thompson had become a different person, no longer just a teacher, but now an agent of God. She truly loved them all . . But especially the slow ones and particularly Teddy. Soon Teddy showed dramatic improvement!

      She didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time. Then this note: “Dear Miss Thompson: They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. Love, Teddy Stallard”

      And four years later: “ Dear Miss Thompson: as of today, I am Theodore Stallard M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know I am getting married next month on the 27^th. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have know; dad died last year. Love Teddy Stallard”

      What difference can anyone make? Obviously this lady didn’t possess any great talent or ability. She didn’t have any great wisdom and knowledge. This teacher had no great anything, all she had was an opportunity to befriend a child.

      Satan will get us to hold ourselves back by making us think we can’t do anything. What can I do? I’m old, or I’m too young, or I’m uneducated, or I’m this, that or another but the fact of the matter remains, all we have to be is . . . Willing! That’s all God requires of us.  I read a quote just the other day that says “God doesn’t call the Qualified; He qualifies the called.” When I read that I said “BAM! Devil, take that in the ol’ kisser!”

      I will tell you a story and should shed some light on how important the little things can be.

      A recently widowed lady was encouraged to purchase a parrot for company. It can talk and will be of some comfort to you. She went to the local pet store and purchased the most beautiful and expensive bird the man had. She was told that the birds had a 200 word vocabulary and she shouldn’t have a problem with communication.

      She returned the next day and with a touch of frustration in her voice, she explained that it will not speak.    

      “Does it have a mirror? Parrots like to see themselves and think its another bird to talk to?!” The widow bought the mirror and went back home.

     

     The next day she returned again with the same problem. “What about a ladder?” the man asked. “Parrots enjoy walking up and down ladders for exercise.” She purchased the ladder and went home.

      Two day later the lady returned to the shop and was fuming mad and to announce that the parrot was dead! “I’m terribly sorry to hear that ma’am” said the store keeper. “By the way, did the bird say anything, anything at all before it died?”

      “Yes” she said. It said, “Don’t they sell bird food down there at that store?”

      Funny huh? Sadly enough we are like this also. We are looking for ladders and mirrors and many other things we think we need for our life. When its all said and done, all we are really needing is something simple such as food.

      We don’t have to be anything special or of some great something, all we have to be is willing and obedient. Remember the widow woman only gave two mites but in doing so she gave more than them all because she gave out of her heart and NOT out of abundance. She didn’t have any special talents or great gifts either, she was merely willing to be obedient.

      I have to place myself in the category of feeling helpless also. I write these newsletters and do my best to put my heart and soul into writing them in hopes that something I say can be of benefit to someone. As I sit at my computer and write, afterward I will print a rough draft and begin to proofread. As I sit at my desk and read what I wrote I will tell the Lord, “You know, you did pretty good!” or I will see something in it that I didn’t see the first time and say “WOW, I never saw that before. You never cease to amaze me, Thank You for allowing me to write for you Lord!”

      I am no big somebody with any great talent, wisdom or marvelous something. You know what I am? I am the same thing we ALL can be . . . .  “I’m just a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about somebody who can save anybody!”

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Scripture For Your Basket:

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

I Samuel 14:25 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

The Holy Bible, King James Version. Pradis CD-ROM:Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1994.

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Editors Comments:

   "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for Good men to do NOTHING." - Edmund Burke (British Statesman and Philosopher) Remember that a penny is .01 cent and is not much by itself and many people overlook them on the street, but that one penny is a down payment on a million dollars.

       A humble heart and a contrite spirit is a beautiful treasure, just don't allow it to hold you back from reaching your potential. Do what you can and God WILL reward you for your actions.

"Good, Better, Best never let it rest. Til your Good gets better and your better gets best!" - unknown