She Believes In Her

     Recently I saw newsreel footage from 1930 that had been put on YouTube that featured Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan. It is a remarkable and historically significant piece. Anne is filmed sharing how she was able to teach her blind and deaf student to speak. I was moved to tears at the end when Helen said " I am not dumb".  Having two blind children I know that many times people assume my children are less intelligent or unable to learn because of their blindness. My children can sense this and it has a negative impact on them in a variety of ways. Assuming the ignorance of others is a growing and dishonorable practice among so many today, it is an unfortunate trait of a society that seems so often to base it's worth and significance on how much it knows and  showing someone else up.

     I asked my children to listen to the video. At the end of it my verbose offspring were both left entirely speechless and in awe. They both have had a fear of losing their hearing and being left in a condition like Helen Keller was. We have talked about the fact that if anything did happen to their hearing that like Helen Keller there are still ways to communicate and learn. They rely so heavily on their hearing that they can't imagine what it would be like to not have it but they are more aware of the reality that it could happen because they are already blind. I let the whole video sink in a little and then asked them, "What impacted you the most about what you just heard?"  It took a while but then Allison said, "Dad, I think what hit me the most was how much she believes in her."  I asked "How much Helen believes in Anne?" She said "No, how much Anne believed in Helen."

 

     Do you believe in people? The people that have impacted me the most are the ones who sacrificed for me and loved me and encouraged me (yes, even with their words). Those who saw my positive potential and communicated that to me. Those who believed that I could reach my goals and be better than I was made a difference. I'm not talking "expecting that they should" but rather "believing they will" those are two totally different things.  Teachers who believe in their students can especially have an enormous impact. Don't give up on people because of circumstances or situations, don't judge a book by its cover! That turning point may be just around the corner! My kids are blind but I believe in them and I know they will do greater things (whether similar or different) than I have ever done. Go give someone the gift of your belief in them. Bless them with your belief. People can sense whether you really think they are worth the time or not!  Jesus Christ our greatest example also believed in his students when he entrusted them with the spreading of the gospel and told his disciples they would do greater works also.

"But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;..."
I Thessalonians 2:4 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do..."  John 14:12