Mrs. Schneider was my sixth grade Sunday School teacher. We met in the kitchen of the parish hall of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, IL where I grew up. At that time she was not my favorite S.S. teacher. You see Mrs. Schneider was very firm and seemed rather unpleasant. I had the feeling that she had not raised any kids of her own. As a farm kid I was also a little wary of her because I knew she lived in a big house in a new subdivision in that small town which was named after her family. But Mrs. Schneider—Edna Schneider—did something for me for which I have always felt indebted.
Mrs. Schneider had us memorize psalms and hymns. We would work on them every week and receive little awards for learning them. We learned Psalm 23, Psalm 46, and Psalm 121 and many other psalms. We learned “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” “Jesus Loves Me,” “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” and many others.
At the time I was not that appreciative of this memory work. It kept me up on Saturday evening and led me to get up early on Sunday morning to get ready for our 9 a.m. S.S. class. But I have found that her instruction, as the proverb above says, was wise. The faith that was formed by the singing of those songs has sustained me. Whenever I am a bit anxious or having trouble going to sleep, it helps me to remember some of these verses and quote them. When I have had my own situations with letting loved ones go, I am emboldened by the lyrics of some of those hymns. And, it has aided me in my ministry when I am able to quote a verse by heart.
This whole experience also reminds me of how we ought to trust those who went before us. Unless we have some reason to question them, persons of faith of the previous generation are wise persons who have gone the way that we have gone before us. I later found out that Mrs. Schneider, the one who I thought was a bit too strict, had reasons for her seriousness. She had been widowed at a rather young age and had lost her son in the Vietnam war.
Others have gone through hardships before us. They have chosen to hang on to God, hold on to the promises of God in the psalms and hymns. We can do well if we follow their example even at this time of adversity and challenge. Take heed to God’s Word: “Happy is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.”
Let us pray:
“Gracious God, help us to treasure your word and hold it in our hearts and minds, especially when we struggle. Amen.”
Pastor Roger Black
Other lessons for today: Psalm 134; Proverbs 8:32-9:6; 1 Peter 2:1-3
