I knew two days ago that I would not want to teach Bible class tonight. I wished I had gotten a substitute. We took a quick 10 hour trip to see my dad, my son and his new wife. We would not get home until just before time for Bible class. My heart wasn’t in it. My head wasn’t in it. I was tired. I got to class planning to do a lot of review of previous lessons and memory work we had been doing. Not the most creative or energetic plan but it would be sufficient for the couple of kids that would be there.

Then, a visitor showed up. That’s not unusual. We have a lot of elderly folks in this congregation and they frequently bring grand kids and great grands to class. This was one I had not met before. She was a sweet 8 year old with long blond hair. A little shy but not so much that she wouldn’t talk to me. Her great grandmother told me it was the first time for her to ever go to Bible class.

On the night that I had considered getting a substitute, God had given me the joy and the responsibility of introducing this little girl to the Bible. She looked at one of the Bibles laying on the table and said, “I don’t have one of those Bible books.” As the class progressed, I found out that she had never read from a Bible before. She knew absolutely nothing about God’s word.

She eagerly read a verse for me. It melted my heart. I told her what a good job she did and that I was so happy to have been there when she read from the Bible for the first time. We talked about God and Jesus. We talked about Lazarus, Mary and Martha. We sang Richard Morrison’s Resurrection. She was attentive and interested in what was going on.

Towards the end of class, we sang a couple of Glenda’s “fun” songs — Don’t Pick A Fight With The God Of The Universe and Sin Has A Tail. She didn’t know them but was joining in the best she could. I thought we should sing something she probably knew. I said, “I bet you know Jesus Loves Me.” She said she had not heard that one so we sang it. She did not join in. She really had not heard it before.

Thank you God for reminding me that each and every Bible class is important and that at any time a Bible class teacher may have the privilege and responsibility of being a precious soul’s first and possibly only introduction to Your word.