I listened yesterday to the funeral service for Senator Jesse Helms. It was a praise to God with testimonies of many to his kindness, humility and integrity. In both his public and private life he was known and respected for "keeping his promises" and "being willing to compromise on preferences but never on principles."
The scripture verse read that seemed to best fit his life was from Micah 6 and says "He has told you O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you; but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."
Reflecting on this man's life caused me to think back a day earlier when Logan, Jordan and I did my Meals on Wheels Route. God has blessed me with a route of mostly 80 and 90 year olds who, even though diabetes, arthritis, and recent loss of immediate family are real in one form or another in their lives, don't dwell on 'these things' but because of their love for the Lord are kind and sweet and full of praise for Him.
Their eyes crinkle with laughter when they tell me stories of past days and look with compassion at me when checking on Sue's condition and love it if I see a need in their lives and pray for them right there. Their life's footprint when God takes them home (and he took a favorite just last month) may not be as large to the world as that of Jesse Helms, yet they have shown to me over and over again in the past 4 years those same qualities mentioned above: justice, kindness, humility, love.
Some months ago a friend and I, in looking at our aging parents as well as our kids coming along behind us determined that for the Lord's sake and then for the sake of our children we not only wanted 'to do life' well now, but to finish it well too.
I'm grateful to God for letting me rub shoulders with these dear, sweet Meals on Wheels friends of Jesus. As I see them monthly they are giving me good instruction on How To Finish Well.
