My heart is filled with eternal praise and gratitude to God for strategically placing a physical education (P.E.) teacher called Mr. Williams in my life. He’s surely my unsung hero. Although I never learned his first name, what he did during our relatively momentary interactions in my days of preparatory school left an indelible mark on my life.
In the gallery of my memory, he is preserved as a very jovial, stern but not tyrannical, and, most importantly, unashamed lover of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was an evangelist at heart. Each time my classmates and I met him on the hot concrete field for class, he would seize the opportunity to tell us of the reality of hell, heaven, and our need for the Saviour. Sometimes, he ably substituted for my fourth grade teacher when she was unavoidably absent, and (you guessed right), he winsomely found ways to present the gospel to our class.
Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2).
Mr. Williams was a walking manifestation of this scripture. Although I didn’t openly respond to him, conviction would grip my little heart many times. My conscience, by God’s design, discerned that he spoke truth. His perseverance in sharing the gospel and his godly character were some of the ways God’s grace (divine influence) appeared to me (Titus 2:9). By the time I was in high school, I too wanted the Jesus he loved so much, and the Lord, in His faithfulness, granted my heart’s desire by filling me with His Holy Spirit.
Recently, in a divine appointment, our paths briefly crossed again! Like the leper who returned to Jesus after receiving his healing, I personally expressed my gratitude for his work of faith and labour of love in my childhood years, which followed me all the way into the Kingdom of God.
One life lesson I garnered from Mr. Williams is to remain consistent and bold in sharing the gospel with youth. Though their responses may be mostly unfavourable, it is a worthy investment. The Word of God will undoubtedly be sown in their hearts, and when watered with prayer from a pure heart, a harvest of righteousness is guaranteed. God always watches over His Word to perform it.
If you’re reading this, Sir Williams, more grace to you! Continue being a fruitful labourer in God’s vineyard.
Your grateful, student, Darien Callum