A group called the Literacy Alliance meets in the basement of our church on Thursday nights, during the time that the music team is upstairs in the sanctuary practicing. The Literary Alliance teaches people of all ages to read and write.

Tonight I noticed a light on in an upstairs classroom. I peeked through the cracked door and saw two people sitting at a table, their backs to me. One was an adult woman, and to her left was a young man with black hair. Was he Hispanic, perhaps, and wanting to learn English? Or just a young man–junior high, high school, post-school–who never learned to read? I couldn’t see their faces. But they were both looking down at a book on the table, and the woman was leading the young man through something in a voice too low for me to hear.

I thought of some of the junior high school boys from our neighborhood who come to the Wednesday night children’s ministries and wreak havoc. Just do everything they can to disrupt the teaching. They come voluntarily, but they don’t really have any interest in the reason we do Wednesday night.

Then here was this young guy, coming probably by himself on Thursday night, coming without any requirement that he be there. Coming because he wants to learn. And he’s listening intently to his tutor, following her words, taking it all in.

My, wouldn’t it be nice it all of the youngsters we attract held that attitude toward spiritual things. I’m certain that some of our regular Sunday morning adults don’t necessarily come because they’re truly interested in learning about the Bible and spiritual growth. There are other motivations, like just making the wife happy, or out of some long-established habit they just can’t break.

Anyway, I’m glad the Literacy Alliance uses our church, and that they want to be located in our neighborhood. Just seeing those two faceless persons, their backs to me, huddled in purposefulness, made me feel real good.