Each One Teach One - Devotional October 2, 2015

¹⁵ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

It was the eighties; I needed a job, so I went to work for the School District, a temp position as a secretary. I filled in for someone on maternity leave, knowing they would be coming back, for their job. I had two sons at the time, we needed the money and so I did what I had to do. 

They were a great bunch of people to work with. After about a week, I was instructed that I would be doing a book inventory, no big deal. There were rows and rows of these stalls more like skinny closets, with shelves and shelves of books. Well for me that was like being sent to heaven…I loved books. The challenge was I didn’t want to count the books; I wanted to read them. So I persevered. Then I came across this one book and began to read a wonderful story about Dr. Frank Laubach, known as a man of Literacy. A Godly man…a man determined to make a difference.

As I read his story I was captivated about how he lived among and befriended the Muslim Maranao tribe, in the Southern part of the Philippines. He saw they were a sad people though, because when their loved ones left their tribe to live elsewhere, they had no way to communicate or keep in touch. They had no written language. His mission came flooding in and he knew what to do, he would devise a written language for them.

He was teaching them with his new system, how to read and write which took only two weeks. But the depression hit and he told the Chieftain that he could no longer teach them because funding had been cut.

The chieftain, who had been taught to read, even though he was an old man, knew that learning to read had, and would help his people to prosper. He declared “If I can learn, anyone can learn. Let each one who learned to read, teach someone else or die!” From that chief’s decision the “Each One Teach One” concept was born, and became the motto and emblem of his literacy movement.

This is the point I want to make. I told you this story because if you reach one person and they reach one person pretty soon we have a whole community of people. Reach out today, shake someone’s hand, smile, do like Frank Laubach, dare to make a difference in the life of someone today!

Let’s pray…

Jesus, thank you for knowledge but most of all, thank you for your wisdom. Help us to reach out to others today and make a difference in someone’s life. You are our example, Lord, you call us one at a time…and you teach us on a one, on one, basis…let us follow your example. Each one, teach one…amen!

By: Marla Shaw O’Neill October 2, 2015©