Teens really have a remarkable way of touching our lives when you least expect it. This was the situation that I found during a mission trip to Lame Deer, Montana. I had already written what I thought would be my contribution to this Views and Vision but my mind was quickly changed during reflection time the second night of our trip. After spending two days in the 102 degree temperatures (I didn’t know Montana got that hot!) painting homes on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, it was time to reflect on what we had been doing. We used the Bible text Luke 10:25-37, the parable of the Good Samaritan.

We were meeting in church reflection groups and discussing the phrases we have all heard so many times, “Who is my neighbor” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The discussion took the same track I had heard so many times. The teens talked about those who passed by, and what they thought about the Samaritan that stopped. They offered thoughts on what they might have done and reasons for their choice. Some chose to walk by and some to stop and help. The Pastor asked them to think of times in their lives where this might have been the story they could have told.

“I feel like this is the story of me,” Mark began. Everyone was silent waiting to see where Mark was going to take this. This is his story:

“When I was in first grade I had a really hard time learning to read. It was really hard for me. My first grade teacher was like the people who passed by the beaten man. I remember getting color sheets with big letters on them to color and practice my letters. The sheets had a picture that was related to the letter. As the year progressed the sheets began to have words and pictures related to the words. I was passed on still unable to read. My first grade teacher hadn’t looked for answers—she just passed me by because I couldn’t learn. My second grade teacher and I started the year on a low note. She acknowledged that I was just one of those kids that wouldn’t ever be a great reader. I did a little more that year and was able to read very short sentences by the end of the year. My second grade teacher had passed me by as well because I was just one of those kids who couldn’t learn. In third grade I was moved to a private school in hopes that the smaller classes would help me. Well, my third grade teacher started out the year with a big “Wow, we have real work to do this year.” I spent recesses and free time working with her or another student that she assigned to help me. By the middle of the year I was diagnosed with dyslexia. She never quit working with me. She was always positive and would tell me that she was learning as much as I was. Third grade was the best year of my life because my teacher never stopped caring about whether or not I learned. She wanted me to learn to read and did everything she could to make it happen. She was like the Samaritan who cared for the injured man. She took care of me and helped me learn to read while she learned to care for all of God’s children no matter how they learned and to seek answers when they weren’t learning. My story doesn’t stop there. She checked on me every year and we remained good friends. I graduated from high school two weeks ago with honors. In the fall I will go on to college and study pre-med. Not bad for a kid who was going to be one of those kids who just couldn’t learn. My third grade teacher was at my graduation which made it really special. She still teaches and touches of the lives of God’s children the same way she touched mine. She told me she was proud of my accomplishments. She took the time just like the Samaritan and she didn’t have to because I was different with my disability, but she kept going until it was diagnosed and I learned to read.” Then he asked, “Pastor, is that what you were looking for when you said to put the parable into our lives?”

Touch the lives of all of God’s children in your teaching ministry, find answers for those who are difficult to teach, and think of Mark’s story often or when you have that special child that needs some extra attention.

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