“Open
your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your
mouth; judge righteously; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs
31:8-9
I
surreptitiously eavesdropped on a conversation in the airport. Though I couldn’t
catch enough to grasp the gist of the conversation, fond memories from over 40
years ago flooded my mind as I watched the two friends signing companionably to
one another.
Thanks
to my friend Steve, those who are deaf hold a special place in my heart. Born with
profound hearing loss, Steve was sent away to a school for the deaf at the age
of two, coming home only occasionally for holidays. At 19, he returned to the
tiny town where his parents lived.
Neither
Steve’s father nor his mother learned sign language. Though Steve couldn’t hear
a car horn blowing beside him, his parents were convinced that if they shouted
loud enough, he would hear. Understandably, moving back home was trying for
Steve.
Steve
attended our church regularly, depending heavily on lip reading. Steve always carried
a pad and pencil, writing down what he wanted to say and asking others to do
the same.
Many
people in the town feared Steve. He was a big man, with many frustrations. Though
I never witnessed it, several people warned, “Steve’s got a bad temper.”
God
filled me with a desire to help Steve. I learned that the local university
offered Sign Language, so I registered for the class. As I gained confidence in my signing
ability, I forged a friendship with Steve. Delighted, he began stopping by the
house. He often brought our son candy, always requiring Seth to sign “Thank
you!” or “More candy, please.”
I
invited Steve for supper. I left him and my husband to “chat” while I cleaned
up the dishes. Afterward, Dick said, “Guess I should learn some basic sign
language, too. How about teaching a class at church?” I felt grossly
unqualified but agreed anyhow.
To
my great surprise, forty people wanted to learn! Steve was later offered a job
by one of the men who took the class and felt confident enough to communicate
with Steve.
Steve
also gained acceptance in the church and community because people better understood
the challenges he faced and made the effort to interact with him. I was so
thankful and surprised that those basic sign language classes opened so many
doors for Steve.
God
asks us to open our mouths for those who have no “voice”—unborn babies, children,
those genuinely poor, the handicapped, the aged, refugees, and animals.
(God even gave a donkey a voice!) If God is calling you to “speak”, please,
don’t ignore His nudges. You never know what life-changing effects God can bring about when you say, “Yes, I will help.”
Be
encouraged!
©2018 Pamela D. Williams
