Helping Others Succeed.
The Amazing Story of Teddy Stalin
We just wrapped up our Sunday service, and wow, my heart was full! I had to share a few thoughts. Our 23-year-old youth pastor, Kim White, preached, and she did great! Karen and I love her to pieces. I didn't get opportunities like that at 23 to preach to thousands, but Kim did, and she rocked the house! That young woman is going places. I know it. She'll probably be my boss someday!
I don't know how old you are, but the older I get, the more I want to lift up the younger generation. These kids need someone to believe in them and give them a chance to shine. I once asked my pal Harry Wood to speak for us. He retired from the Methodist church across the way, and man, I loved his preaching. But Harry turned me down. He said, “If I speak, it'll keep one of your young people from having that chance. I can't do that.” What a guy.
There's a time when kids outgrow needing a teacher over their shoulder. By 10 or 11, you have to remind them to eat their veggies. But by 18, forget about it because you don't even know what they're eating half the time! Could you imagine talking to a 25-year-old in the same tone as a 10-year-old?
I remember my momma saying, “You better eat those beans, or those beans are going to eat you!” It worked when I was 8, but she eventually started seeing and treating me as an adult. We must equip the young ones well so they can thrive independently. Here is how the Bible puts it:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it,” Proverbs 22:6 (English Standard Version).
I'm here because of the people who believed in me and gave me opportunities. Let me tell you a story that shows this perfectly with my man Teddy Stalin and his 5th-grade teacher:
Mrs. Thompson started her new class on September 1st, telling them, “I love you all the same; I don't play favorites.”
But she didn't like Teddy Stalin. She did not like him from the start. His hair was shaggy; he avoided eye contact and seemed spaced out most of the time. She enjoyed failing his homework and watching him squirm when called upon to show what he had learned.
If only she'd read his file... Here is what some of his previous teachers wrote:
1st grade: Teddy has potential but trouble at home.
2nd grade: Teddy could do better; his mom's really sick.
3rd grade: Teddy's a good boy but too serious and slow. His mom passed away.
4th grade: Teddy's slow with an uninterested dad and no help.
Before Christmas, the class did a gift exchange. Teddy brought a gift bag for Mrs. Thompson. She looked inside and found a bracelet missing some rhinestones and a bottle of cheap perfume. The other kids snickered while she tried it on. After class, Teddy came up to her and said shyly, “You smell just like my momma. Her bracelet looks real good on you.” And then he walked away.
Stunned and overwhelmed by the moment, Mrs. Thompson, a good Christian, broke down in tears and begged the Lord to forgive her sad treatment of Teddy.
After Christmas Break, Mrs. Thompson was a changed woman. She was determined to help the kids, especially the ones who needed it most. Slowly but surely, Teddy's grades improved until he finally passed her class. School was out for the summer, and she didn't hear from him again.
Then, a letter from Teddy arrived out of the blue, saying, "I'm graduating high school tomorrow! They say I'm second in my class, and I wanted you to know first."
Four years later, another note: "I'll be graduating college soon, first in my class. It's been hard, but I wanted you to know."
Four years later, another letter: "Mrs. Thompson, I'm now Dr. Theodore Stalin, MD! What do you think of that? I'm getting married on the 27th. I want you to sit where my mother would have. You're the only family I have left since my dad passed. Love, Teddy."
I love that story. See, I believe we all can make a difference in someone's life, especially the young. Taking time to guide and encourage them could change their whole trajectory. Even small acts of kindness and belief can have a lasting impact. You will be so glad you did!
Thank you for reading. See you next time. Oh, please pass this on. It may inspire someone else! Thank you!