Today I went to the funeral for a dear friend’s husband.  It was beautiful and poignant; I teared up several times.  Something else made me tear up, however, a moment of joy among the sadness, beauty amidst the ashes.

When I came in, the sanctuary was filling up fast (this man was well-loved and well-known).  I saw a seat for myself past a gentleman.  As I walked up to the row if pews, I saw a walker parked at the end, between his row and the next.  As I asked the gentleman, about 10 years older than myself, if I could scoot in there, it became evident it was his walker.  When more people came to fill in the extra space, he graciously, but with evident effort, slid down closer to me to let the others into the row.

The service started and we stood for the first hymn.  He rose slowly, painfully, to his feet.  I reached over and gave him a hand up.  I did not want to step on his dignity, but did not want to see him struggle, either, when it was needless.  When we sat back down, he moved with slow deliberation, obviously intent on the effort and keeping his balance.

I must admit I became a bit protective of my pew buddy.  I helped him when I could, taking care not to hover.  I retrieved fallen glasses, gave him a hand with the up and down movements, and shared a hymnal.

The time came for communion, and people started going forward, coming across each row of pews to the front of the church, then around to the other side to come back to their seats, making one large circle.  I was concerned about this gentleman and how he would be able to move enough for people to slide past, and the pain that might cause him.

What happened next was truly lovely, a real testament to human kindness.

Each person, whether headed to the front or re-entering the pew, took the long way around, thus not disturbing him.  It was so kindly done, so automatically so, that I teared up with the sheer beauty of it.  No looks of irritation; no rolled eyes.  Just service to a fellow human being.  Not even knowing this man, I wanted to thank them on his behalf…thank them for being Christlike.

Now, I know nothing about this man.  I don’t know how long he has been this way, how hard it has been on his self-esteem, or even his name.  But I know that Christ was served by simple acts of kindness, and that was beautiful to see…and to be a part of.

How often do we miss the opportunities to show love to a fellow human being?  How often do I?

I have had so many times in my life when I have been helped by the kindness of a stranger.  It was joyous to return the favor.  I hope it was for the others as well.

Just as the service ended, he leaned in to me a bit and thanked me sincerely for my assistance.  I really felt no thanks were necessary, and demurred slightly.

My sweet friend’s husband was a man who helped, who gave to others, and was gracious, always to me, and to my kids as well.  What a fitting tribute that kindness happened as we celebrated his entry into glory.

I pray that I can always remember the difference a small bit of kindness makes.

The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40

I was having some friends over for Memorial Day.  Right in the middle of cooking corn…my stove quit working.

No fanfare, no smoke (thankfully), no funny smell (thankfully)…just no power.

And no reason.

I checked the fuse box.  The breaker had not been tripped.  It seemed odd that a stove, only seven years old, with which I had had no problems should just up and die.

My sweet friends offered suggestions, even to lay hands on the thing.  Fortunately, the corn was cooked enough to eat, so we tabled the discussion and enjoyed our food.

Yesterday, one of them came over and found that the silly thing was JUST UNPLUGGED!

Don’t I feel silly.

But here’s the thing.  The plug was down in a place where I could not reach it, behind the stove.  No easy way to visibly check the plug.  Perhaps not so much “silly me” as “not-so-thorough me.”

Good life lesson for me in this!  CHECK THE PLUGS!

Especially my plug into the Lord…my ultimate Power Source.

Have I been reading my Bible as I should?  Have I been praying?  Journaling?  Praising God instead of just presenting a laundry list of complaints?

But there are other plugs I need to check also.

Do any of my children seem out of sorts and out of step?  Have I plugged in with them lately?  Spent quiet time with them alone?  Let them tell me all that is going on, what they are thinking and feeling?

How about my friends?  Is there one who seems disconnected right now, either from me or from all, whom I need to reconnect with?

Are there things at my church that seem to be a bit strained lately?  People who are usually there but are not, either physically…or emotionally?

The circuit has got to be completed for the power to flow…power from God, down the conduit of me, to the people He has placed in my life.  If any parts of the circuit are broken…my parts or their parts…it just won’t happen.

Praise God that I know that HE will always keep His part of the circuit flowing toward me and all the work He has for me!

All I can do is keep plugging along (bad pun, I know, but strangely appropriate).

 Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

– Psalm 20:6-7

Our lesson at Wednesday night Bible class was about bugs.  We were buzzing like bees, dancing like butterflies, and crawling like beetles.

Then we started talking about worms.  Even these four year olds knew that worms are good for the soil.

“Teacher, teacher!  They are good when they are in your garden!”

We can’t see always worms, yet they make a difference.  Without them, the soil can contain more harmful bacteria (they will eat the stuff) and not be as rich in nutrients (worm casts contain a lot of food for plants in the form of nutrients).

Worms are not the attention hoggers of the animal world, preferring to do their work in the dark, moist soil instead of in the light of day.  But even still, they are necessary.

How many things in my Christian walk are like that!  Others may not see them, or even esteem them if they do see them, but they are crucial to me surviving and growing in this Christian walk.

Nobody but me knows how closely I am resting in the Lord, as most of the activities that support this are done alone, in private.

Or do they know?

While these disciplines are different from fruit, they are instrumental in making fruit, just as worms are necessary to make a healthy garden.  These disciplines are the inner workings that make fruit possible.  Without them, the results will be different, not as good.

When I am not following my discipline of regular prayer and Bible reading time, I am not as apt to see another’s need…or to respond in a Christian manner to it.  Without soil that has been tilled properly in the Word, and enriched by prayer, I may pass by on the side instead of meeting needs that I have been called to meet.

When I am not disciplined in my quiet time and growth time, I become impatient and mean-spirited, not focusing on loving others as I love myself, and letting my mouth get carried away to places that are ugly and less than helpful.  I the grow these weeds instead of good fruit.

Shame on me if I allow myself to get into this position.

Jesus told a parable about different kinds of soil, and I will end with it.  I pray that with my proper care of the soil of my soul, worms and all, I can be the good soil!

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Matthew 13:3-9