Show That You Care.
I read a story about a memorial service for a high school student named Melissa. As the parents read through the list of folks who signed the guest book, they received encouragement from each one. Yet one name brought extra feelings of good will. The man’s first name was Floyd.
The parents did not go to church with Floyd. They did not spend time with him socially, or know him very well. He was not a neighbor, close friend, or an associate. He did however, play basketball at lunchtime with Melissa’s dad at the YMCA. Twice a week, for an hour was the extent of their time spent together. Floyd joined a bunch of 30-40 year old men for exercise and a little 5 on 5 round ball. All Melissa’s dad knew of Floyd was that he was a really good basketball player.
Floyd heard about Melissa’s accident and took time out of his schedule as an executive at the town grocery store to stop by her funeral. Melissa’s dad was surprised to see Floyd at the funeral service and made a mental note that he stopped by to honor her memory with his presence. A few months later, Melissa’s dad felt up to playing basketball again and went back to the YMCA. He ran into Floyd in the locker room and thanked him for being at the memorial service. Floyd said it was the least he could do. Then he said he had been praying for the family ever since.
The dad remarked how comforting that was. They had hundreds of people express their love and sympathy and do many kind things for the family since Melissa’s death. But for some reason, the loving compassion and condolences of this grocery story executive touched the dad deeply. All Floyd knew is that Melissa’s dad has a decent jump shot, yet he took the time to care for him.
Floyd is a great example of what we should strive to be as followers of Jesus. We should take action when others are in need. A kind word. A call. A visit. An e-mail. Whatever the situation, we should be quick to seize every opportunity to show that we care. Live communally. One person said once, “that people do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Read Philippians 4:10-19 to see the kind of action those Christians took to lift the spirit of the apostle Paul in the first century. That same sort of intentional action can helps others today.
We all may not become an executive for a grocery store (or any kind of business or industry), but we can all have a big heart for others. Can you think of someone who is hurting for one reason or another? What can you do to help them today? If someone has recently helped you weather a difficult time, have you (like Paul in Philippians 4:10) said thanks? Go ahead, in the name of our savior, do something special for someone else today.
Love is a verb,
Mike O
