....For They Will Be Filled

Happy New Year! Back early in the school year, I passed Brooklynn, the young lady I wrote about below, in the office. I have to confess I did not recognize her- it's been a very long time! Brookynn now lives in a Middle Eastern country with her mom, Melacyn, who has relocated as an educator. This entry, from January 12, 2009, shows a young lady with a great desire to know the Lord's word!

I probably have written more times about Brooklynn than any other Westbury Christian student in the three-and-a-half years of this blog. (If you want to read some of the other entries, type her name next to the orange B at the top left of the blog.) This year, Brooklynn has taken to requesting a Bible question every time we pass in the hall. Needless to say, this is a first for me, especially since Brooklynn is A SECOND GRADER. She shows a remarkable knowledge of the Scriptures for one so young. After our last encounter, I came up with a different strategy: I simply would give her mom, Melacyn, one of our high school Bible quizzes and let Brooklynn search the Word to her heart's content. That was late last week. Melacyn, a WCS Biology instructor, misplaced the fifteen question exam. At the end of that school day, her daughter ran up to receive the material I had promised, and asked, "Mom, where's my prize??" Melacyn confessed that she had lost them so this morning, I sent two quizzes down for Brooklynn to work on at home. This evening, I was arriving back at WCS from an away game when I met Brooklynn, Melacyn, and Bian, a student from China who lives with the family, in the parking lot. Brooklynn had the quizzes in hand and immediately inquired about a blank for a bonus question at the bottom of the papers. She was fired up! I'm pretty sure she'll have them back in my hands tomorrow for me to affix a grade on each. I can't wait!

Today, we began studying the Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Mount, in my sophomore Gospels' classes. On Friday, we will take a memory test over these teachings from Matthew 5, verses 3-10. I always tell my students the most difficult beatitude to live by is "Blessed are the pure in heart." We rarely find anyone who we believe fits into that category. But I will tell my classes tomorrow that Brooklynn may be the first small child who I think is the epitome of "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." Did you catch how she described that first quiz I passed on? She called it "my prize." Truthfully, how many of us can say we so long for the chance to study the Scriptures that we see the opportunity as a reward? I know even the best of my students dread what they feel is a never-ending stream of quizzes that forces them to delve into the Word of God for a grade. But Brooklynn loves it. I have the idea that she will keep me hopping to stay current with her insatiable demand for Bible questions in the coming months. You know what Jesus said about those seekers, those hungering to feed on the bread of life? The Savior told us, "they will be filled." I know one little girl that will require a great deal of filling. Brooklynn has a big appetite!

Applicable quote of the day:
"When you have read the Bible, you will know it is the word of God, because you have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty.”
Woodrow Wilson

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com