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Daring To Believe The Best In Others

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:8

Professor Howard Hendricks writes: “By the 5th grade I felt insecure, unloved and angry at life. My teacher, Miss Simon, apparently thought I was blind to the problem because she regularly reminded me, ‘Hendricks, you’re the worst child in this school.’ So I proceeded to live up to her opinion of me. Upon entering the 6th grade, my new teacher, Miss Noe, glanced over to where I was sitting, defiantly, just waiting to go into action. Smiling she said, ‘Hendricks, I’ve heard a lot about you, but I don’t believe a word of it!’ That was a turning point in my life. For the first time, somebody saw potential in me! Miss Noe put me on special assignments. She invited me to stay after school and work with her. As a result, I couldn’t let her down. Once I got so involved in my homework, I stayed up until 1:30 am. My father came down the hall and said, ‘Son, are you sick’ I replied, ‘No, I’m doing my homework’. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief; he’d never heard me say anything like that before. What made the difference? Somebody was willing to believe in me, while challenging me with higher expectations. That was risky, because there was no guarantee I’d honor her trust.” Everybody likes the end product of mentoring, especially when it yields a peak-performer. But how many of us are willing to risk dealing with the person in the forefront? Those who are, demonstrate the kind of love that never fails!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you took a risk with me, and continue to do so, believing the best about what I can be and forgiving what I am.  Help me do the same with others.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen