Elder Tom received some bad news today. It concerned an old friend, who shares Elder Tom’s first name. This friend was someone that Elder Tom not only liked and admired, but also envied. Elder Tom told his wife Mary that his old friend was something like Pastor White, only more so. He was handsome, athletic, intelligent, creative, friendly, comfortable in his own skin, well versed on many subjects, equally at ease discussing either Friedrich Nietzsche (the 19th century German existentialist philosopher) or Ray Nitschke (the hall of fame Green Bay Packer middle line backer in the Lombardi days, MVP of the 1962 NFL championship game. Come to think about it, if memory serves, Elder Tom’s friend played inside linebacker.) In fact, if it hadn’t been for a little procrastination and a few minor lapses in self-discipline and diligence, he would have been too good to be bearable.
What was the bad news? That he died? No, that would be sad, but at least then we could have the comfort of knowing that he was with his Lord and Savior, and ours. Sad as it is when a Christian (and a called servant of the word, as Elder Tom’s friend was) dies, that is the moment of triumph, that is the goal to which we all aspire. No, the bad news was that he had had an aneurism which burst, resulting in a massive stroke, sufficiently massive to land him in the Mayo clinic. The report that Elder Tom heard was that his old friend had lost 30% of his brain function, including his sight and his ability to speak.
Elder Tom has to be honest; his faith was momentarily – very momentarily, mind you – shaken. It seems a terrible tragedy and rotten shame that such a highly gifted person should be struck down like that. True, he had to be getting a little long in the tooth, just as elder Tom is, and he might have been slowing down a might, as Elder Tom has, though to be honest, Elder Tom was never very swift. It seems that there are so many wonderful things that Elder Tom’s friend could still have done, especially in God’s kingdom. Why is Elder Tom’s friend incapacitated, when so many – pardon Elder Tom’s French – losers are walking around, flapping their jaws and spreading their nonsense, working mischief and worse?
Although we cannot say why this happened to Elder Tom’s friend, and not to someone else, like Elder Tom himself, there are some answers and some lessons to be learned. Elder Tom’s friend was highly gifted – where did these gifts come from? They came from the hand of God, and they were given to Elder Tom’s friend so that he could use them for the glory of God and for the benefit of God’s people. In addition to the beneficial effect that he had on his family and friends, Elder Tom’s friend got to serve over thirty years in the called ministry, working in a number of parishes and schools here and in Canada. God gave him his gifts and gave him the time and the opportunity to use those gifts to serve God and His people. God has chosen to end that time of service. God has appointed Elder Tom’s friend to a different position, a position in which he needs the service of others. That is probably not something that any of us would choose for ourselves or for anyone we cared for. But we don’t call the shots, God does. We should remember that the person who needs service is just as important and valuable as the person who serves. Elder Tom’s friend is not useless or without the ability to be a blessing, as some might be tempted to say. He is a blessing to all who get to serve him, whether he helps provide them with employment or gives them an opportunity to show their love, appreciation, and gratitude to him, as well as their love, appreciation and gratitude to their Savior.
Why are the “losers” still running around, running off at the mouth, doing whatever they please? They are still doing that because God is patient. God is still giving them time to become what Elder Tom and his old friend have been ever since their baptisms – children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Indeed, whenever we see people we think that we and the world would be better off without, let’s remember that apart from the grace of God that the Holy Spirit brought home to us in the gospel, we would be those people, and we might even be worse. Let us also remember that we are here with those people because God wants us to communicate the gospel to them.
Elder Tom’s friend was very good at communication, excelling in both the spoken and the written word. Now that ability has been taken from him. You and Elder Tom may not be as good at communication – though some of you may be better – but we still have some ability to get points across to other people. God has given us time to communicate the gospel and to serve others in the past as well as in the future – but we do not know how long a future we are going to have nor how long we are going to be able to communicate and be of service. Our Savior told His disciples, including us, to work while it is day. Le us use our ability to communicate while we can, as well as when God gives us the opportunity to do so.
There is something else. As you probably noticed from the way Elder Tom has been expressing himself, he has lost track of his old friend, or he would have known about this for a long time and had some contact with him and his family. One of Elder Tom’s weaknesses (if not faults) is that he has a tendency to lose touch with family and friends. Some of that is inevitable because of time and distance, but with current means of communication people can keep in better touch with one another. At one time Elder Tom and his old friend could and did talk for hours. Now they cannot talk at all, and could not, even if they were in the same room. But Elder Tom can still communicate with the Lord, asking for God’s blessing on his friend, his friend’s family, and on all those who are attending him. And that other Tom can do something similar – whatever his cognitive ability may be, in his spirit and by the power of the Spirit he is able to communicate with his Savior, thanking and praising the Lord Jesus for all that He did for him, and imploring His aid for his family, so that they can meet the challenge presented by his physical condition, as well as growing and gaining enrichment through it.
Dear Lord, be with Tom and his family. Keep showing them your love and power. Let them know, and let all of us know, that You make everything work out for our good. And thank you for the time and the friendship that I had with him, and forgive me for all the times I took that blessing for granted. In the mean time, help me value the personal relationships you have given me, and let me be a benefit to the people around me. Dear Lord, help me and all your people to “redeem the time,” using the opportunities and abilities you have given us to reach out to one and all with the gospel. In the name of our Best Friend and Elder Brother, as well as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
