In the past few days, I have gone from excruciating pain that
confined me to bed to bearable pain.  It sure was a blessing when the Youth and Collegiate groups surprised me with their leaders and pastor with a visit and topped it off by singing in Tamil, Malayalam and praying for me.  The severe pain reminded me of a book that I read many years ago by Dr. Paul Brand, a missionary to India.  I am unable to find it in the many boxes of books that came back to me after the fire in my basement, but it is a great book.  Former President Bill Clinton says, that when he got that book, he took off from work and read it the whole day.  Pain is a gift that nobody wants, but it truly is one of God’s great gifts.  Pain tells us that something is wrong.  Yes, none of us want it but none of us can do without it.  It helps us in many ways, and I have listed a few:

Pain helps us understand others pain – Become a compassionate person
Pain gets us to our knees – Brings us closer to God
Pain can make us a better person – Pressure is what turns coal into diamonds

I could go on but my secretary tells me that my blogs are too long
and I should learn to make them short, so I will stop here and let
you add to the list– the benefits of pain.  If possible, share your
list with me.

Shalom, Shalom!

Facebook messenger clicked and made this a blessed morning for me.  It was message from one of my father’s students, Pastor A. T. Immanuel.  Part of the message read: “Remembering Pastor D. S. David on Teacher’s Day.  My father taught him over 45 years ago and passed away about 35 years ago.  I am not in touch with this pastor but he cared to remember and pay tribute.  One particular student comes to my mind (not pastor A. T. Immanuel).  Dad would tell him to come home in the evenings and Dad would spend hours teaching him.  He had a hard time to grasp what was taught in class.  Sometimes, I would hear my Dad shout at him but after all that teaching and shouting, he would feel bad and tell him to eat and go.  This happened so often and we wondered if he really learned anything.  He sure was a very poor student but Dad kept working on him.  He became a great worker and a good pastor. I don’t want to mention his name as some of you here are related to him.   Teachers do a lot for their students.
 
When Dr. S. Radhakrishnan became the second president of India, some of his students and friends wanted to honor him on his birthday, September 5.  He requested them that it would be a great honor and would really make him very happy if they would honor all the teachers on his birthday.  Since then, September 5 is celebrated as a day of honoring teachers throughout the country of India.  No, it is not a holiday.  Students and teachers come to school as usual but in school, teachers are recognized in a special way and the celebration begins.  Only once the US congress declared March 7 as Teacher’s Day many years ago. Let us never forget to respect, honor and pay tribute to our teachers in their living years. 
 
 
Shalom, Shalom! 
Pastor Franklin David 

 

August 03, 2016
A church member was giving a ride to church to two young ladies. On the way, his car skidded on ice resulting in a multiple-car accident. One of the girls, Donna, was thrown face first through the windshield and the broken windshield made deep gashes on her face. She was rushed to the hospital and the doctor on duty happened to be a plastic surgeon. He took great care to stitch up Donna’s face. The driver was devastated about the accident and was very worried about facing the young girl the next day in the hospital. But to his surprise, he did not find Donna sad or depressed. She was filled with joy and was asking all kinds of questions to the doctors and nurses. One of the nurses told the driver that all the nurses were making excuses to go into Donna’s room because she was so vibrant with joy and they called her a “ray of sunshine.” The young girl refused to let her tragedy destroy her happiness. Shortly after the accident, the church member moved to another city and lost track of Donna and her family. Fifteen years later, he bumped into Donna’s mother accidentally and fearfully asked her how Donna was doing . The mother told him that Donna was so intrigued about her hospital stay after that accident that she decided to become a nurse. She then got a job in the same hospital, and later met a young doctor at the hospital, married him and they were blessed with two children. The mother continued,” Donna told me that if ever I met you to tell you that the accident was the best thing that could have happened to her.”

Yes, we can let troubles and challenges depress and discourage us or we can choose to let them make us strong and powerful. Our worst moments can be turned into greatest triumphs. Today happens to be the day in which Christopher Columbus over 600 years ago sailed out to find India but discovered America. Well, he may have had many dangerous and discouraging moments, but he left behind a legacy. Someone put it this way: “Happiness is the result of circumstances, but joy endures in spite of circumstances.” Greater still, His word assures us that in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore. (Psalms16:11). So in the midst of challenges and discouraging moments may we find strength, confidence and assurance by abiding in Him.

Shalom, Shalom!

Pastor Franklin David

At the beginning of a school year, A School District Superintendent made a visit to one of the schools in a rough neighborhood. He noticed that the Principal was a little disheartened and discouraged. He asked the Principal as to what was on her mind, and the Principal replied: “School reopened just a few days ago but we already have 39 dropouts.” The Superintendent tried to encourage the Principal by saying: “Don’t worry too much about it, we are aware that this is a tough neighborhood.” The Principal shot back: “You don’t understand sir, 38 out of the 39 dropouts are teachers.”  Being a teacher is not easy in today’s world. They are not only taken for granted but are poorly paid. Something is drastically wrong in this world, where we pay a few guys who run around a piece of leather (football or basketball, etc.) millions of dollars and pay a teacher who imparts knowledge only a few thousands. So, let us keep our teachers in our prayers as we pray for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as they start a new school year.  And if possible, may we remember and write a note of gratitude to a teacher who has made an impact in our life.  To some extent, our teachers are the making of us and who we are in life. The impression they leave on our minds can never be erased.  I have had some great teachers, but one among them has left a deep impression on my mind.  At the beginning of each year I would assess the teachers and study accordingly and knew if they checked my assignments and tests in detail. Not many did, they took it for granted that I was a good student and graded me accordingly. But one teacher,  Dr. Ralph Jones, I wouldn’t classify him as a gifted teacher, but he read every word that I wrote, be it a term paper or an examination and made his comments. So, I classify him as one of my great teachers for he was a hardworking and honest teacher. Please say a prayer for teachers, parents, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as you read this and as often as you can throughout this school year as not only our teachers but our children also live in difficult and dangerous times.
 
 
Shalom, Shalom! 

Pastor Franklin David