ForgottenWoman

Faithfulness Matters

I’m just going to begin this post with the honest truth, which is that I struggled with what to title it! They say that people choose whether to read your articles or not based on the ‘catchiness’ of the titles. I’m pretty sure this one will not grab the attention of many, but I’m not feeling creative enough to think of anything else. The truth is that this statement is at the heart of the story I want to share this morning. “I’ve never been born again.”

One of my many blessings is the gift of friendships that, among other things, inspire me. I want to share a story that involves one of those friends today, and I hope that within the story, you will be encouraged, inspired, and even convicted if needed.

I have a couple of dear friends who are my mother’s age. These women have literally chosen me as their daughter/friend, and we have walked day in and day out together for several years now. One of them is a caregiver for an elderly lady. She has been taking care of her several days a week for the past 3 years or so. I’ve had the privilege of visiting with this elderly lady, whom she cares for, and though she has grown physically weak, she is mentally very aware and is a joy to talk to.

My friend, Pat, often shares with me and others how precious this lady is to her, how much she enjoys her time with her, and how blessed she has been to care for her. Over the past several months, Pat has shared that she has spent even more time than usual talking about the Lord, heaven, and life after death for believers. Her lady seems to really enjoy it when Pat reads Scripture to her, and those times of reading often lead to more conversations. Pat has often said to me that she feels that her main responsibility in being there is to have these conversations – feeding the parts of her lady that most need to be fed.

Well, it was just a few weeks ago, when my friend, Pat, and I were talking, and she expressed that she was concerned. Her patient is a good lady. She’s one of those individuals who has lived life well, has been what we all would call a “good person.” She was a member of a church and a faithful attender. However, there was a growing concern that she had never acknowledged her need for a Savior, had never come to a place where she had repented of her sins and accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. Pat asked that we pray for wisdom for her each time she was with this dear lady – a wisdom that directed her thoughts and words.

It was on a Tuesday when I was preparing for a study at Tranquility that our mutual friend, Carol Ann, walked in and, within just a few minutes, asked me if I was ready to do a “Hallelujah Dance.” She told me that she had just received word from Pat that her lady had prayed and asked the Lord Jesus to be her Savior! I checked my phone and sure enough, I had the message from Pat there!

What had happened? They were having their usual morning together, including Scripture reading and conversation. Pat was doing her thing, and her lady interrupted her and said, “I have never been born again!” Pat very calmly said, “You haven’t? Well, would you like to?” To this, she tearfully answered yes, and she prayed and repented of her sin and asked the Lord Jesus to be her Savior!

Oh, so many lessons in this story for each of us! God has placed individuals in our lives, and it is so important that we lovingly care for one another’s physical needs. It is more important that we care for the spiritual needs of one another, speak boldly of our Savior, never assume that anyone knows exactly what we are talking about when we talk about salvation, eternal life, our sinful natures, and the need for Christ. Religious people aren’t necessarily saved people! Good people will die in their sin and never know the joy of salvation if we are timid and refuse to boldly proclaim what we know about our great God!

The way we treat people matters! If we, as believers, fail to lovingly speak to each other and treat one another with kindness in our daily lives, why would anyone who doesn’t know Christ want what we have? Pat’s loving care for her lady’s physical needs over the years opened doors for real in-depth conversations, for truth to be shared without her lady feeling threatened in any way. And at 103 years of age, her lady accepted Christ!

It is never too late! We often get stuck in our human limitations, deciding that some are so set in their ways that they are beyond hope, or that someone who has lived many years isn’t going to suddenly decide they need Jesus. We are so wrong and limit Almighty God when we have this attitude! No one is beyond God’s reach!

It is too often our pride that keeps us silent about the most important things! What if Pat’s lady had mocked her for her faith? So what! What if other caregivers had become angry or combative when they heard Pat talking about the things of the Lord with their patient? So what! What if Pat had chosen to assume that since her lady is a kind, good woman that she must have made the decision to follow Christ earlier? Then she would not have been sensitive to the Lord’s leading to continually share Christ with her. I share today because none of those things kept Pat from boldly speaking the truth.

Those who are fading physically and nearing death have many needs. Their most pressing need is something that too often is not spoken of! You know they have fears – “What happens when I take my last breath?” “Is this all there is, or is there really hope for eternal life?” The sad fact is that these most pressing thoughts and needs are not often addressed by caregivers. Why not? Because it’s uncomfortable! Pat’s life and choices in this story remind us that we need to push past what’s uncomfortable and do what is right.

There is another child of God on her way to her eternal life in heaven today because of the faithfulness of one of His servants. The day-in and day-out faithfulness that happens in one-on-one interactions between individuals, without a platform or stage, without an audience, and without fanfare. The diligent faithfulness of one who understands that God wants to use us as we invest in the lives of one another, and there is no retiring from this purpose! My friend, Pat, is 80, and I have no doubt that she will continue to proclaim the mighty works of God to everyone He places in her path until she breathes her last breath on this earth and is at home with Him herself. I’m grateful for my faithful friend.