The Breath of Life
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…
Hebrews 10:24
There’s a very interesting little account at the end of the gospel of John (20:22) where it describes how fearful the disciples were after Jesus’ death.
They’re cowering behind locked doors and we’re told that, suddenly, Jesus appears in their midst and says, “Peace be with you.” After that He challenges them to spread the Good News saying, “As the Father has sent Me so send I you.”
Then, it says, He “breathed on them.” Those men were inspired to go out as His witnesses. And, of course, the rest is history.
To this day we talk about how someone can “breathe life into us.” When that happens, a human being senses value and is infused with purpose and power.
Yet while the Lord still does that by His Spirit, we’re told in Hebrews 10 that we can also breathe life into people. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…
Mrs. Thompson and Teddy Stoddard
One of my favorite illustrations regarding how we can breathe life into another is the story of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson.
And as she stood in front of her 5th-grade class on the first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because, there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn’t play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen and then putting a big “F” at the top.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child’s past records and she put Teddy’s off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
His 1st-grade teacher had written, “Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.”
His 2nd-grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.”
His 3rd-grade teacher wrote, “The death of Teddy’s mother has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.”
Teddy's 4th-grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest in school. He doesn’t have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.” By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the source of the problem and she was ashamed of herself.
She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas gifts, all wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy’s. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he’d cut from a grocery bag.
So Mrs. Thompson took pains to open his with the same enthusiasm as the others. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle of perfume that was one-quarter full.
But she stifled the children’s laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.” After he left, she cried.
From that day on, Mrs. Thompson determined to pay particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite saying she would love all the children the same, Teddy became special.
He moved on to middle school, but a year later, she found a note under her door – from Teddy – telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that he would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best teacher he ever had. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D
The story doesn't end there. There was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing.
After the ceremony, they hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, “Thank you for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.”
Breathe Life
I love that story! But could it be that beyond appreciation for it, we can find application from it?
As you consider your relational world, is there a Teddy Stoddard in it? Someone who is all too easily overlooked and all too often dismissed?
What would it be like if you would look for opportunities to breathe life into them? What might that do for them? And what might that do for you?
You see when we breathe life into others, in a strange yet wonderful way life is breathed into us.
When we breathe life into others, in a strange yet wonderful way, life is breathed into us.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for seeing value in me and for breathing life into me. Help me to look for those who I can breathe life into. And, as that happens, may they then pass on the breath of life.
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