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The Friend
“Greater love has no one than
this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if
you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a
servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you
friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to
you” (John 15:13-15)
In the ceremonies and events surrounding the passing
from this life of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, nothing was more
striking than the testimonies of those who knew him. Time-and-time again,
he was referred to as a “friend” by
those who technically were his underlings, adversaries, and even his
former enemies. We heard the word “friend”
from: Brian Muldoon, the Canadian Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, the
former British Prime Minister, the elder George Bush, former U.S. Vice
President and President, Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Premier, and
others. Many people felt the president was a friend. A key element in
his marriage to Nancy was their friendship.
Jesus defined “love”
to his disciples, telling them (and us through them) to love with a
fervent love, even giving up our rights to life itself, if it benefits
others. That kind of person is considered God’s “friend.”
Jesus said the greatest love of all is to be a true friend, which is to
lay down your interests for the rights of others. We have the greatest
such example in the Person of Jesus Christ Himself, who literally gave His
life for you and me.
It’s important to look around us and note those who
have such love. There is a lot of media attention on those who LACK that
love, and it is rare to hear about the good that people do. I want you to
hear about Grace Stolte, a dignified, well-dressed lady who lives in
Southland, a care facility in Norwalk, California. Here’s Grace’s story:
She’s 90-years old and is legally blind. She was a
nurse for 60-years, and it wasn’t an easy time for her. There was a
divorce and she “couldn’t get over it.”
She had never been close to her earthly father, who hit her with the razor
strop that hung in the kitchen. Grace had many concerns. Her jobs as a
nurse didn’t last and she worried about money. As Grace put it, she “was
looking to people for her source instead of God.”
Two events occurred. A counselor at church gave her
the interesting advice that she was “addicted
to her ex-husband just like he was addicted to alcohol.” And the
other was directly from the Lord, who touched her heart that she was “looking
to the wrong source – GOD is your source.” Her life was changed.
She now saw that the events of life, whether or not they would be
considered “negative” by the world, are opportunities, which allowed her
to see the miracles that are all around us, but are seldom understood.
She met a wonderful Christian man and they were
married for 23-years. Then he became ill, and was in-and-out of the
hospital. The doctor recommended a retirement home, but Grace wasn’t
ready. Then something happened – GRACE needed major heart surgery. She
had breathing problems, and the doctor said that SHE needed to go to a
retirement home, suggesting a place called Southland, in Norwalk,
California.
Grace and her husband visited the place, liked it and
agreed, “OK, it’s time to sell our home.”
They placed their names on a waiting list. They viewed a 2-room unit on
the first floor (which wasn’t yet available) and paid the down payment on
a Thursday. On Saturday, Grace was having difficulty in breathing and a
man who was at their front door offered to help. She was all right in a
few moments and the man, who was canvassing from Century 21 realty, asked
if they wanted to list their house for sale.
Grace’s husband said, “Yes,
sign us up,” and they listed their home. On Sunday, another man
knocked at the door, asking, “I want to go
INSIDE the house!” He walked through, went into the back yard,
came back in and said, “Your house is sold!”
They went back to Southland and the 2-bedroom was still not available.
Unit 42 was open, which was one and one-half rooms – The wife had passed
away and the husband didn’t want it anymore. They were able to move in a
week. The two room unit later became available, but they didn’t need it.
Unit 42 was perfect. Grace’s husband lasted 105 days and he passed away.
That was six years ago. Grace showed me a tree next
to the sidewalk outside her first floor window that was planted for her by
her grandchildren and great grandchildren, when she first moved in. A new
addition next to the tree is a concrete and wooden park bench, freshly
painted, with the legend etched into the wood: “To
Grace A. Stolte, Happy 90th from all your loving family, from
your grandchildren and great grandchildren.”
Grace’s home is filled with memories expressed in the
furnishings. She showed us her late husband’s custom pipe collection,
complete with one made in the image of Winston Churchill and another
shaped like Abraham Lincoln. We saw pictures of her family and looked at
the interesting magnifying device that enables her to read large print.
90-year old Grace reaches out to others. She has an
electric, power-driven wheelchair, and she uses it to move with surprising
quickness for a legally-blind person. And here’s what she does with that
chair – She regularly visits 30 other residents and patients, as she makes
her daily rounds through the facility; just being the friend God has
called her to be. She visits my mother on the third floor and the two of
them are becoming close.
Grace has lots of friends because she is a friend.
When I teach Psalms at Southland on Thursday mornings, I try to make eye
contact with everyone. When I look over at Grace, her eyes are always
closed and her lips periodically move, as she prays for those who listen
and she prays for the speaker. She is bright, alert, encouraging and like
the rest of us, she is in the setting where God wants her to be.
The difference is – She KNOWS God has led her, but
over 90% of those in humanity don’t understand that simple truth. God
places us in ordinary circumstances and uses us for His loving purposes.
Grace has been made alive in His Spirit, and because of her simple
willingness, she can see His hand and she knows what to do. Let’s be a
friend:
Father, fill me with Your Spirit, that I may be Your
friend, and let me be a friend to those around me. Help me to understand
that You are with me, and Lord, enable me to truly love others just as You
love me. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.FridayStudy.org
www.FirstChurchontheNet.org
E-mail:
Ron@FridayStudy.org
Tel: (562) 688-5559
PO
Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
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