When I was growing up, the First Methodist Church in Lafayette had a Sunday School class of elderly women called the Golden Rule Sunday School class. Most of them were charter members of the church. When I was in high school, the president of the class called me one afternoon and said, “Honey, our class wants you to be our teacher for the month of October.”
I was flattered and honored and scared. But I did it. I nervously stood in front of those twenty ladies and taught their lesson as best as I could. They patiently sat there and listened to this high school kid, who didn’t know very much, teach Sunday School. Now that was grace.
Every Sunday morning they would gather together - - singing, praying, smiling, listening and asking questions. They taught me so much. They really encouraged me. In my heart, I can still see each one individually, including my grandmother. They even helped me financially to go through seminary. Every time that I went back home to Lafayette for the holidays, they would ask me to be their teacher.
Over the years, one by one, they have all died. Every one of them.
I will say it again. That is a picture of grace. The ladies of the Golden Rule Sunday School class in Lafayette. A class that doesn’t exist any more, but they sure touched my life. And I believe that somewhere in heaven, they are still gathering together, learning . . . loving . . . showing grace.
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