I loved watching television and the
movies as a young boy. I remember being glued to the screen (the big
silver one or the little living room tube) and thrilled to watch the
stories of good over evil play out before my eyes. One of my boyhood
heroes was the Lone Ranger. I was amazed how the masked man and his
Indian companion, Tonto, could discover and defeat the evil enemy in
just 30 minutes. The humble ranger never stayed around for the praise
of man, but slipped away only to be seen on the far off hill top
waving good-bye atop his magnificent steed, Silver.
How often in life, however, the good
guy doesn't win. The current newspaper and the nightly newscasts
highlight the evil world in which we live. These daily commentaries
on the depravity of man rarely underscore the righteous deeds of
godly people. I guess the reality of it all is that bad news sells
and good news lacks that sensational quality that interests the
imagination of the public.
It was so refreshing to move from the
evening news to an evening event held at my organization. Every year
we have an appreciation banquet for the faculty and staff of the
school system. The menu was great, the music (harp for dinner
listening and a string ensemble for entertainment) was beautiful, and
the fellowship around the table was most encouraging. But the
highlight for me was the acknowledgement of faithful service.
Individuals were honored for each five year milestone they reached.
Five years....10 years...15 years...20 years...25 years...30 years...
and even 35 years! I thoroughly embraced the time of celebration.
Each recipient had prepared a short statement of remembrance or
challenge. The depth of love, commitment, dedication, and
perseverance that the honorees shared was inspiring.
There was one man who had reached 35
years of service to the school system. He graduated from the school
in the 1970s, graduated from college in three years and immediately
return to our school to join the faculty. He began as an English
teacher, but his great love for the Scriptures soon led him into the
Bible department. He has excelled over the years, writing much of the
school's Bible curriculum and serving as the chairman of the Bible
Department. What a privilege it was for me to be in attendance. Paul
was not only the Bible Department Chair when I arrived at the school
24 years ago, but he quickly became one of my closest colleagues. He
was always so supportive of me as an administrator (even when I made
foolish, rookie-type mistakes) and I sought out his mature wisdom
many times over the years.
In our younger days, Paul and I were
part of a faculty basketball group called 911-basketball. This
rag-tag group of faculty (and some friends) would congregate at 6 am
in the school's gymnasium in an attempt to stay in shape and enjoy
some fellowship together. We jokingly dubbed it 911-basketball
because we didn't call a foul unless we had to call 911 as a result.
We had great fun and I loved playing on Paul's team. He had such a
sweet left-handed jump shot and such a positive attitude toward the
game. In addition to the fun in the gym, I had the joy of observing
Paul as a classroom teacher. His approach to truth and his smooth
pedagogy totally engaged my mind and spirit. His rich vocabulary and
his deep understanding of God's word made him an amazing instructor.
As I heard the words of others sharing
the impact that Paul has had on their lives, I realized that at this
banquet the good guy won. I also realized the Paul had joined my hall
of heroes along with the Lone Ranger as one of those humble forces
that defeats the power of evil and makes the world a better place to
live.
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