My Sunday School Teacher Saved My Life
When I look back on my childhood, one of the first names that comes to mind is Edith Rogers my Sunday school teacher from the 3rd through 5th grade.
She wasn’t flashy, she didn’t have a loud personality, and she wasn’t the type to demand attention. But she carried something inside her that had the power to change a life. And for me, a boy who was struggling to find his way, she did exactly that.
I remember the day as if it were yesterday. Edith gave our class an assignment: to memorize a verse of Scripture. Now, I was not the kind of kid who wanted to sit and memorize anything, much less the Bible. I resisted with everything I had. But Edith didn’t threaten me. She didn’t shame me or embarrass me in front of the class. Instead, she inspired me.
When the time came, I stood in front of her and quoted that verse. And when I finished, she looked at me like I had just conquered the world. She clapped her hands, her face lit up, and she made me believe that I had accomplished something incredible. That one moment of encouragement changed me.
Because of her, I kept going. I began entering memory verse competitions. At first, it was 25 verses at a time, then 50, and eventually 75. Not only did I compete I won. Three times I stood and quoted 75 verses straight from memory. And every time, I knew I wouldn’t have made it there if not for Edith Rogers cheering me on from the very beginning.
Today, my love for Scripture the very foundation of my faith can be traced back to her influence. She wasn’t just a Sunday school teacher. She was a life-changer.
But her influence went even deeper. Because while I was thriving in Sunday school, I was floundering in public school. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to do anything right in the eyes of my teacher. Day after day, my frustration grew. I started shutting down. Anger began to build inside of me like a fire I couldn’t put out.
And do you know what steadied me during those years? Do you know what pulled me back from the edge of giving up? Edith Rogers.
When the world around me seemed to say, “You’re not enough,” Edith looked at me and said, “You can win.” When I felt like a failure, she reminded me that God had planted something inside of me worth fighting for.
That’s why I’ll always believe in the power of a teacher. Because I am living proof of what happens when just one person believes in you.
Please never underestimate the impact you can have on a child’s life. Somewhere out there, there’s another little Eddie Windsor. He might have a chip on his shoulder. He might be angry, hurting, or shutting down. But you could be the one who turns his life around.
Hebrews 6:10 reminds us: “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” (NLT)
That’s Edith Rogers. She worked hard. She loved well. She cared deeply. And her labor was not forgotten.
When I think about teaching, I think of Jesus the greatest teacher who ever lived. Yes, He came to save us. But He also came to show us how to live. In just three short years of public ministry, He taught in a way that astonished crowds and transformed individuals.
“The crowds were amazed at His teaching.” (Matthew 7:28)
“They were astonished…” (Matthew 13:54)
“When they heard these words, they marveled.” (Matthew 22:22)
Why? Because Jesus didn’t just lecture. He met people right where they were. He sat with a woman at the well. He answered the secret questions of Nicodemus. He spoke to thousands, yet every word pierced straight into individual hearts.
His first recorded sermon in Luke 4 still echoes today:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (Luke 4:18–19, NLT)
For years, I only heard this passage taught about the poor, the blind, and the oppressed. But one phrase jumped out at me later in life “the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
Edith Rogers lived that out. She didn’t focus on how bad things were. She carried herself as if God’s favor was real, present, and available even to a struggling little boy like me.
I’ve seen that favor in my own life, time and time again. Years ago, when Tammy was diagnosed with Hurthle Cell Cancer, it wasn’t luck that carried us through it was God’s favor. Surgery after surgery, moment after moment, His hand was with us.
That’s the good news Jesus came to declare. Good news for your past your sins are forgiven. Good news for your present your life matters right now. Good news for your future “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.
When I broke my wrist years ago, the doctor didn’t hand me a lecture on the meaning of pain. He didn’t give me a history lesson on medical terms. He simply gave me what I needed relief. And that’s exactly what Jesus does.
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
The challenges we face are real but in light of the cross, they are no longer the final word.
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
That’s why the struggles I faced as a boy in school no longer define me. That’s why the anger and hurt that once consumed me no longer hold me. Because greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.
I thank God for Edith Rogers. She planted a love for Scripture in me when I was just a child. She taught me to believe when I felt like quitting. She showed me that encouragement can heal a wounded heart.
She didn’t just teach Bible verses she taught me how to walk by faith.
And my prayer is that we, too, will follow in her footsteps…and in the footsteps of Jesus, the greatest Teacher of all.