The Principal and the Preacher

The Principal and the Preacher

Today,  a tall good-looking high school kid came back to see his old principal.   I looked in his calm eyes and this old man began to smile.   My friend was in a good place and he came back to see his former teachers and one old principal.

When my friend left my office and after I gave him a hug,  I closed my office door.   I fell into my chair and I sobbed.   I was transported back in time to a cold winter day when I walked this boy home from school.  My heart ached on that cold bitter day.   My young friend was hurting in ways that no child should hurt.    

I sat in his parents living room with his family and his counselor.  I held his tiny baby sister in my lap.  My boy curled up with the old family dog.   We all knew that this hurting tender little boy needed more help than we could provide at school.   We cried as we decided that my friend needed a specialized treatment program.   I hugged that boy that night knowing that I would not see him for awhile.  I promised that I would always be there for him.

I trudged back to school that night.   The wind was biting cold and my eyes were swollen with tears.   I could not help this boy and I was discouraged.  Why didn’t I see his pain?   How did I miss it?   He was hurting and I couldn’t help.  I was frustrated and scared.  

I turned the corner and walking out of school was my friend Clayton.   Clayton was a local church pastor whose church partnered with our school.  The good people of Good Samaritan Church provided school supplies.  They served as after school tutors.   Every Wednesday,  my students could go to Good Samaritan, participate in mentoring, and receive a hot meal.   Good Samaritan was making a difference in our school community, but on this night, I would learn the true purpose of our school partnership.  

Clayton easily recognized by the look on my face that I was hurting.   He smiled and said, “I couldn’t do your job, Rick”.   I looked out at the trees avoiding eye contact and fighting back tears as I shared how my boy was hurting.  I spoke about the boy and avoided any reference to my feelings of discouragement.  

Clayton smiled.   A smile that a friend gives a friend in a time of need.   He placed his hand on my shoulder and said,  “Rick,  I will pray for the boy.  I will pray for you”.  Clayton’s simple offer of prayers changed the equation on that cold winter night.  Our school was blessed to have a church praying for us.  

God had put this boy on my path to help.  God put Clayton on my path to help my boy and me.   I could feel my burden and heartache begin to lift.   I could feel a warmth come over me as I was reminded to:

Rejoice in your suffering because suffering produces endurance,  endurance produces character,  character produces hope, and hope never disappoints. Romans 5:3

Clayton said a prayer on a cold winter night and today we know that the prayer was answered.  Today was a very tough day at school.  A day filled with hurting children needing help.   I went outside for bus duty.  The sky was clear and thunder filled the air.   I looked up and God put a boy back on my path today to help out his old principal.   God sent me an answer to a prayer.  A simple boy was put on my path to remind me that hope in a child never disappoints.