Sunday, May 25, 2008
Very Ordinary Men
From the May Bathford Parish Bulletin
Dear Friends,
I want to tell you one of my favourite true stories; it concerns a school inspection - not in Bathford but in India of a school for poor and orphaned children run by a Christian Charity.
When the inspection was announced the governors, Head, teachers and children all prepared very carefully for the two crucial days; nothing was left to chance, they had a reputation to keep up.
The Inspectors duly arrived on a lovely sunny day. As they entered they were greeted by a small boy with an infectious smile sitting on a wall welcoming them. They were touched but thought no more about it at the time. The inspection went very well - even the Inspectors seemed very pleased. They had observed all the classes being taught, interviewed all the teachers and discussed future plans for the school with the Head and Governors. On the final afternoon they all met for a wash - up and preliminary report. Just before the discussion ended, the Chief Inspector had a sudden last question; there was just one thing he could not understand and it concerned the small boy on the wall. It did not seem appropriate that he was there. The Head smiled and much to the Inspectors amazement advised that the little boy was the most important pupil in the school. "You see", he said, "although he is severely handicapped, including deaf and dumb, he is the 'Welcomer' who greets the children as they arrive, often sad and anxious. His smile and wave is infectious and makes us all happy". The chief inspector commended the little boy in his report.
What is so moving and true about the story is that it reminds us that we can easily fail to recognise the value of another person because we are looking with a limited perspective. Many in our communitymight be overlooked, but God knows them - and of course, so do their families (for example those caring for a sick or elderly relative).
We have recently been celebrating the Ascension when Jesus returned to Heaven and the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to empower the disciples to carry on the work of the Gospel. On that first day some three thousand were baptised, the very beginning of the Church worldwide.
Those first disciples were just very ordinary men, not among the "great and good" but God knew what he was doing when he called them.
Best wishes,
Gerry Miller