What Can You Do?

He is a former elder, and yesterday I was reminded why he held that office with such nobility for many years.

About 18 months ago, he suffered a stroke. I have visited with him multiple times in those months. He is one of Turner’s favorite people to visit, because he thinks the wheelchair is cool.

The stroke left him unable to serve as an elder, and I was there one day when he told me that he was going to resign…and he cried.

Then yesterday happened, and it took all I could do to hold my emotions together.

Turner and I went by for a visit and stayed for a good long while. Near the end of our time there, this wonderful man was talking about the time he spent in the nursing home. But he didn’t talk about himself.

He talked about how many people were there in the home and no one came to visit them. He welled up with tears as he spoke about how many cards he got and how many visits people made to him. He spoke of how sad it was to see people sitting in the hallway or in their rooms, and no one ever stopped by to say hello.

Then he said to me, “Hopefully, in a week or two, I’m going to be able to get in a car again. I can’t drive, but we [he and his wife] have talked about this. I’m going to go and sit with those people and talk with them.”

As I tried to hold my tears in, he went on…

“I never really thought about that before, but now I know how many people don’t have anybody come by. That’s at least something I can do, and I’m going to do it.”

My mind and emotions raced, and it made me think of several things. First, it made me remember why this man had served so well as an elder. One of the qualifications is that he should be a “lover of strangers” (usually translated “hospitable;” 1 Timothy 3:2). This man said he didn’t know these people, but he could at least sit and speak with them for a minute.

And that made me think of how many Christians think they can’t really do anything for the Lord. That’s just not true.

If this man, who can still hardly walk and has great trouble speaking clearly, can think of this wonderful ministry, then there is something for me to do.

What can you do?

…better question: What WILL you do?

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Photo credit: robinsan on Creative Commons

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