During the 3rd speech round, I had the opportunity to watch this student. I knew that he had been using the Bible as an example in his speeches, but what he said went far beyond a biblical analogy or reference, and was a bold proclamation of the gospel. In this round, he had the topic “Power and Glory”, and he said (I am roughly paraphrasing): “In my third example, I want to talk about Jesus Christ. Regardless of whether you believe the Bible or not, Jesus is a perfect example of giving up power and glory to serve other people. He was God himself, so all power and glory was his; everything belonged to him, but he became a man and died for us as sinners because he loved us. He gave up power and glory for us, and we should serve the people around us in the same way.” I had no idea what the response would be from the judges and knew that he could potentially lose rounds with this approach, but I was proud of him for so confidently proclaiming his faith in Christ and reminded him after the round that “everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). In the final round, he again spoke of Christ, using Jesus as an example of forgiveness, as one who died for his enemies and loved even those who hated him.
This student’s triumph in becoming the Hawaii State Champion in Impromptu Speaking was an incredible testimony to God honoring those who honor him. I am proud of him for using his gifts of persuasive speaking not just to obtain a victory, but to even risk victory in order to communicate what he believed. Sometimes, God calls us to serve him and use our gifts for him without the reward of tangible success, but in this situation, our team was blessed by being able to see a clear example of God’s faithfulness, as he blessed one who sought to please Christ more than to gain the approval of men.
This attitude characterizes our team as a whole. In the years that I have been a coach at TCS, our students have used the power of persuasion in the Hawaii Speech League to speak on topics such as creative design, the power of forgiveness, the need for intentionality in relationships, the destructive power of pornography, and the need for servant leadership. For our second year in a row, a Trinity student received the District Student of the Year Award for the State of Hawaii, which is specifically given in recognition of a student’s integrity, character, and service. I am greatly honored to be the coach of students such as these!
Dr. Laurie Wilson
Secondary Teacher