‘I lived my entire Christian life unknowingly autistic. Then God showed me it was my superpower’

From childhood faith to the challenges of an undiagnosed autism, Robert Noble reflects on discovering his neurodivergent wiring was a God-given strength and a reminder that every kind of mind has a place in God’s kingdom

I was seven years old when I became a Christian. Miss Tucker, our Sunday School teacher and a retired missionary, told vivid stories of her years in China — stories so rich that they unfolded like movies in my imagination. She spoke of Jesus not as a distant figure, but as her closest friend, someone she trusted completely. I wanted that same friendship.

I remember feeling his presence as something real and reassuring. My favourite Bible story was the one where friends lowered a man through a roof so Jesus could heal him. I was inspired by this story and other stories about Jesus.

Seventy years later, my faith has only deepened. People often tell me, “Every Christian has their doubts.” But I never have. My trust in God has been constant, even in times when I felt different, misunderstood, or alone. 

From an early age, I knew I wasn’t like other children. At school, teachers called me lazy and disruptive. I was humiliated for not being able to read quickly or tie my shoelaces. Crowded places overwhelmed me, and though I had a few close friends and my faith, I struggled to connect with most people, even within my own family. This form of mild but still difficult autism was not recognised until decades later.