William Richardson, Greek Professor

Dr. Richardson was the professor who wouldn’t give me a “zero” on a quiz when I requested it.

One evening, after a daily Greek quiz, I was with my evening prayer group and some words kept speaking in my head, “What does it profit a woman if she gains an A in Greek but loses her soul.”

It had happened this way. During the morning quiz, I was stuck on just one vocabulary word. While thinking and looking at the clock, the window, the walls, the ceiling, I saw the answer on another student’s paper. I wrote it down. I justified my “cheating” by rationalizing that I had known the answer, I just hadn’t recalled it yet. But that evening in my prayer group, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and I determined to talk with the teacher the next day.

With apprehension, I went early to class. Who wants to admit they cheated. It’s a very humbling experience. Nervously, I poured out my story of how the Holy Spirit had convicted me while praying. Then I asked him to give me a zero on that quiz. He said, Esther, giving you a zero would bring down your grade average. You’re a good student. I’d like to remove that quiz instead of giving you a zero.

Such unmerited favor has continued to impact my life. “Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.”