Happy Birthday, Miss Sawyer!

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’ ” (Matt. 25:34).

Every year I remember my first teacher, Miss Sawyer, around her birthday. She passed away more than 40 years ago, but I still think of her.

Miss Sawyer was the first-through-fourth-grade teacher, and I was in the last class before she retired. Our church school was a two-level house. The schoolyard where we had recess was the size of an entire city block. The younger children played games on one side, and the older students played on the other side.

Boxer, the town doctor’s dog, frequently got loose and chased us around the playground. Within seconds Miss Sawyer would fly out of the schoolhouse brandishing a carton of ground black pepper. She thought that if she could just shake some of it on his nose, it would make him stop harassing us. Instead, Boxer loped in circles around a red-faced Miss Sawyer, running at high speed after him, her dress rippling in the wind. We’d laugh and imitate her facial expression as she charged across the lawn. Boxer thought there never was such a fine game as being chased by Miss Sawyer. I don’t think the pepper ever connected with his nose.

Miss Sawyer was organized and sincere, and knew our families. I looked forward to seeing her every day. When I got sick, she brought my homework to our house. I remember crying as she walked away after that visit. There is no substitute for that trusting feeling a child has for their first teacher.

Our teacher never married, and I don’t recall anyone ever inviting her home for Sabbath lunch. She could be abrupt; she didn’t tolerate silliness in her classroom and could scold us soundly. For the standards of her day, she was considered a good teacher. She introduced me to the world outside my home, leading me to love learning.

There is no substitute for that trusting feeling a child has for their first teacher.

Miss Sawyer was a teacher who took us on “animal hunts” at least once a week. After lunch she’d call out, “Who wants to go on an animal hunt?” and we’d shout back, “We do!” We’d shuffle our feet next to our desks on that old wooden floor as we pretended to go on a jungle walk or safari. She described the tall grass, palm trees, monkeys, toucans singing, and a bridge over a creek. Every so often she’d call out, “Do you see a lion?” We looked slowly right and left. Suddenly she would shout out, “There’s a lion! I see a lion!” and all our feet would run in place so loudly on the wooden floor as we raced back across the bridge, sure the lion was right on our heels, through the deep grass and past the palm trees, monkeys, and toucans, dropping into our seats, breathless. Then we could sit still at our desks and focus on our assignments. I think Miss Sawyer loved those games as much as we did!

My favorite thing about Miss Sawyer was that she loved Jesus with all her heart. I knew that because of the stories she used to tell us for our devotional first thing in the morning. When it was time for Bible class, she taught us things about Enoch, Job, Daniel, Jesus, and the disciples, and we’d sing songs together.

I have a specific picture of Miss Sawyer in my mind whenever her name is mentioned. She is standing by my desk, holding a large book in her hands and telling us that everything we do is written in the books of heaven. “One day,” she is saying, “Jesus will open the books and see if our sins have been blotted out. If they are, we will go into heaven for eternity.” She opens the book and holds it high above her head. She tells us, “Jesus will open up the book, and He will say, ‘There’s that child’s name, right here.’ Jesus will turn to God and will show Him the book. But next to that name there is a drop of blood from Jesus that shows that He died for their sins! Your sins have been blotted out! He’ll show God the nailprints in His hands and say, ‘My blood, Father, My blood.’ God smiles and tells Jesus, ‘Your sacrifice is sufficient.’ ” At this point she turns toward me and says, “And He turns to you, Barbara, and says, ‘Come, ye blessed, into the kingdom prepared for you.’ ” I heave a sigh of relief, and Miss Sawyer’s eyes swim with tears.

We could see that she meant what she was telling us more than anything else she had taught us in school—ever. Jesus loved us. He was our friend, and He would take us to heaven.

Miss Sawyer was my teacher, the one who explained how much Jesus loved me, and whose example influenced me also to devote my life to Adventist education. So when her birthday comes around every year, I wish I could tell her, “Happy Birthday, Miss Sawyer. His [Jesus’] sacrifice is sufficient for you, and your gift of love and service was more than sufficient. Rest well until He comes for you. Then we shall all hear, ‘Come, ye blessed, into My kingdom.’ I’ll be looking for you.”