The Lord just showed me a glimpse of how He loves His children.
I got to sit in on an English & Public Speaking class here at the Kalayaan Bible School, which is on the first floor of the building where I am living (in my tent on the roof).
I almost started crying as a middle aged Filipino man was giving his speech on "The 8th Year Commencement Exercises." I sat in the audience for this made up event celebrating the graduation of an imaginary high school class.
I had a smile plastered across my face and my face gleamed with pure delight as he spoke.
I was not able to understand everything that he said, but I was so proud of him for his great effort in preparing and delivering this speech in his second language–especially as he appeared quite nervous to be speaking in front of four Americans, his classmate and teacher who was grading the speech.
He was standing before me with a slight tremble, yet he was persevering.
This man is what I would normally classify as middle aged, yet with the average life expectancy being 47 years here in the Philippines, I should probably adjust how I perceive him as elderly. Thinking about that encouraged me all the more. This man was choosing to pay for and attend a Bible School to become a pastor in the later years of his life.
That shows a tremeduous valuing of God in my eyes.
I barely knew this man, yet I couldn't have be happier to be sitting and watching him deliver his speech for imaginary students at this made up event.
I can only imagine how much greater the Father delights in this man, one of His beloved children, and how extremely proud He is of him far beyond those 7 minutes of courage.
