“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
I love the following quote by Myles Monroe, “The value of life is not in its duration. You are not important because of how long you live, you are important because of how effective you live.” I love people’s stories. Almost everyone has an interesting, or at least entertaining, story to tell. Some stories are sad, others are courageous, while others are compassionate. As I’ve said before, ministers are blessed and cursed with access to people’s stories. We learn these stories in moments of struggle, death, and celebration.
In my first congregation, my elementary Sunday School teacher was found guilty of federal crimes and being part of the largest theft ring in the history of the state. On a Saturday night, he successfully fled the police by shooting his gun out the window at them, and just hours later he was calmly sitting in the classroom with elementary-age children, teaching them the lessons of Jesus.
Another member of that church was named Lu Crow. She and her husband lived in Stevens Point, WI, in the winter, but were very active in our little congregation in the spring, summer, and fall. Lu’s husband had retired several years before from UW Stevens Point, where he had been a professor. By the time I met Lu, she and her husband were elderly, and Lu had many health problems that made it hard to get around. Yet she was one of the most beloved individuals in two communities. She would write dozens of letters every day. She pestered the heck out of me, regularly calling to see if I had recommendations for who needed a letter. Celebrations, prayer concerns, and “thinking of you” cards left her mailbox every day. People cried when they saw “Lu Crow” written in the corner of the envelope. She just had a way with words and divine timing. God worked through her.
Two individuals from the same church. Both trusted and respected, until one wasn’t. Lu’s life seemed so limited, but she lived with a freedom and reach well beyond what should have been possible for a person with her physical limitations. Meanwhile, the Sunday School teacher was young and healthy, with his whole life ahead of him. Yet the last time I saw him, he was wasting away in a federal prison. If you made me choose, I’d rather be Lu, at the end of her life, with her broken body. A broken body is so much better than a broken soul. Today, reflect on your story. What are you pleased about, and what part of your life needs to change? Ask God to use you. It is never too late, and you are never too broken. I pray my former Sunday School teacher learned from his horrible mistakes and reformed his life. No matter your limitations, make your story meaningful!
