When you consider the question. “What is the greatest act of practical love that you have seen one person show another?”, would you think about kind things that people have done for you through the years and try to decide which was the best? I remember “Mr. K.” in high school. All the students loved him. I am surprised that somehow this teacher did not win some type of national award for being Teacher of the Year because he was that good. He was our school soccer coach and had taken our small class “C” Pennsylvania school to several state championships. He was also the main math teacher and most importantly, he truly knew how to love kids.
As he often did with others, Mr. K took a particular interest in me early on. I loved his math classes. Mr. K. also had regular study hall duty, where I always liked getting some of the girls’ attention by making them laugh.
We used to think it was great fun to take the inside out of a BIC pen and shoot it straight up like an arrow, using a rubber band to try to get them to stick in the suspended ceiling twelve feet in the air. They used to just leave them there, so our study hall ceiling looked like a flat white cactus! Back then, however, if you got caught, you got the paddle, and Mr. K. was notorious for knowing just where to whack that paddle to bring tears to the eyes of the strongest soccer fullbacks!
One day Mr. K. noticed my countdown and launch out of the corner of his eye. I heard the echo of “Nolan!” bounce off the hardwood floors. Looking up, I saw his dark brown eyes looking down his arm to a finger that was saying “Come here now!”
He told me to go to the office and get the paddle and although I was not too spiritual at that time in my life, I think I prayed “Oh Jesus, help me!” all the way down and all the way back. When I arrived, he instructed me to follow him around the corner, the paddle now spinning vertically in his hand like a framing carpenter spinning his favorite hammer. He said, “Nolan, this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you. Bend over and grab your ankles.” You could hear a pin drop inside the study hall as the rest of the students fought back their giggles. I think I felt the wind blow as that paddle swung and then I heard the loudest “whack” of a paddle that I have ever heard, yet felt nothing. As I looked up in bewilderment, I saw that Mr. K. had tears in his eyes and that his hand was bright red. He whispered to me “Nolan, get back in that study hall and stop your misbehavior, and don’t tell anyone what I did here today.” I said, “Yes sir”!
That day Mr. K. showed me what I believe is the greatest act of practical love that anyone can show another human being, namely, the act of forgiveness! As a revivalist who traveled for years praying with hundreds of people around the altar, the one thing which showed up over and over was that individuals were harboring anger and hurt and with that unforgiveness toward someone in their life. Unforgiveness was always the roadblock, which kept them from moving ahead spiritually. Jesus said, “But if you do not forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses!” Matthew 6:15(NKJV), yet how often do we fall into that trap? Success in your marriage, your family relationships, and your relationships in church all hinge on your willingness to forgive. Peter said, “Above all things have fervent love for one another because love will cover THE multitude of sins!” 1st Peter 4:8 (KJV) You will be hurt and hurt often in this Christian walk. The greatest act of practical love that you will ever do is to forgive those who hurt you the same way that Jesus has forgiven you and by forgiving, be free to receive His love again!
Rev Nolan J Harkness is the President and CEO of Nolan Harkness Evangelistic Ministries Inc. since 1985. He spent most of his adult life working in youth ministry. He also felt the calling of Evangelist/Revivalist and traveled as the door was open holding evangelistic meetings in churches throughout the Northeast. He is currently a contributor to christianlensonline.org and christianpost.com. His website is www.verticalsound.org.
I remember the pen missle….those were the days! I used that method of correction on my son..better to let them wonder what it would feel like than to actually apply it. Forgiveness is so difficult for our flesh because pain demands action but if you learn to subdue the flesh and give the pain to the Lord…he can eradicate it and heal the hurt which stops it from tormenting you further. Get over it. Only allow God to mediate the discord…because he can eliminate any further harm to you. The hater will not suffer…why should you? Pray for them because God will avenge you and the devil will not rule or referee your emotions. Let it go!