Ben Langley: Jefferson County Public Schools

by Emily Pauw

While Jane talks freely about her faith every week, most of us don’t have that opportunity. It is not appropriate for us to talk about our religion at school or work, mostly to respect others and to not impose on them. It is accepted in our society that we will keep our faith to ourselves. Ben Langley has found a way around that at his job.

Ben works for Jefferson County Public Schools.  His job focuses on Americore, Neighborhood Place, and many other community-based organizations. He also directs Title V Home School Coordinators.  He particularly enjoys his work with Neighborhood Place which includes 8 centers strategically placed around Louisville with food stamps, jobs, and counseling for needy families. This is opportune for them because it is all in one building, which takes away transportation conflicts. Ben cannot talk about God there because there are many faiths represented. So instead he tries to make his actions speak for himself. They don’t have to know he is a faithful Christian; therefore he takes faith in action to a whole new level. He silently brings the spirit of God with him in his briefcase everyday.

But sometimes God doesn’t make any sense. Ben’s wife, Shannon, has been very sick for most of August and September. At the beginning Ben was asking a lot of questions. How could God do this? I know that when my sister Clara had her surgery, I was mad at God. And I think Ben felt like that at the start, but he grew to trust God. The doctors weren’t being hopeful, so Ben lived off of God’s hope and the love that our church showered upon him. He decided that everything is in God’s hands and that it is beyond us. It is our nature to want to be in control of everything, but sometimes you just have to leave it to God.

Whenever I talk to Ben, I am blown away by his overflowing love of God. He shares God’s love without being obvious about it. His favorite Bible verse reminds me so much of him, and how he is truly a loving Christian. “Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”