I have ninja fingers.

You may not believe it, but it’s true. My fingers attack the keys with lightning speed, sending words onto the screen with the force of ninja throwing stars. Portions of some letters are already worn off on my longsuffering keyboard.

And this is important because…?

Every word I can capture matters right now. Each syllable that I snatch from the air in class will count for something.

Why? Who cares?

The bible school I work with isn’t just about acquiring knowledge. It’s about gaining understanding. Understanding of God’s Word. Understanding of God’s ways, His nature and character. Understanding of how to effectively study the bible better, in order to teach it to others. Practical application is also part of the school, with my students having the opportunity to dig in and do some teaching themselves.

So how are my ninja fingers linked to this?

Simple. Our class is made up of people from multiple nations. Multiple cultures and multiple languages. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to move to another country to study the bible for a year, in a school that speaks a different language than your native tongue, and where the culture may be very different from your own. Every lecture and reading assignment has to be comprehended through the double filter of the English we speak here, and a student’s mother tongue. My hat is off to our international students, and I count it a privilege to know them and to serve them this year.

Some of our students are better at understanding written English than spoken English. So every word I type is displayed on a monitor in class to help them keep up with the lectures and catch things that they would otherwise miss simply because of a language barrier. And the notes are available to everyone after class as well.

It’s a challenge some days to catch things as they are taught and type them clearly, “on the fly”, but I do my best. (On a sidenote, please pray that I don’t develop carpal tunnel syndrome this year! lol) It’s a chance for me to grow too, as I dig in more deeply to what is being taught.

I think everyone has their own unique challenges in their individual situation, and their own opportunities to give to those around them in some way. It’s not always easy, but it is always worthwhile.

So tonight, I leave you with two questions to ponder: What challenges are you facing now? How can you serve others in or through those challenges? (What are your unique “ninja skills”?)

Train well, my fellow ninjas.