Mr Niemandt

Did you ever have a teacher who didn't just focus on the bright students?

I was a very below average student up to Grade 4. Then in Grade 5 Mr Niemandt became my class teacher. In a single year my academic progress soared. I ended up coming first in class in that year. All because an ordinary teacher didn't just focus on the "A" students in the class...

Today we read from Luke 5:1-11

Jesus - called Rabbi by many - is called "Master" by Peter. All Rabbis at that time chose apprentices - disciples, but most Rabbis chose from the "A" list. Only the top students of Hebrew would have stood a chance. But this Rabbi Jesus considers people most of us walk right past! (Except when we want fish, of course). Jesus considers Peter and James and John as potential disciples.

Most of us would think twice about leaving everything to follow some unknown spiritual teacher from Bloemfontein... But what we don't grasp is the incredible honour it was for ordinary, sincere men like Peter to be asked to be a Disciple of a Rabbi.

I still remember Mr Niemandt reading out my name... What a difference it makes when someone believes in us! We may think that Jesus chose people that believed in him to be his disciples, but perhaps we're discovering that it's just the opposite! Jesus chose people that he believed in to be his disciples! What a surprise to discover that Jesus believes in us - has faith in us - wants to be in relationship with us - calls us to be his followers!!!

Nobodies a nobody!

(I wonder where Mr Niemandt is today?)