Let God Bring Out the Good in You
—Grace & Truth Linkup
The Bad News
We have 40 boxes of hot dinners in the back of Jenna’s car. We picked them up from the cooks at Manna House. We have 40 people on eight floors we want to give them to on this Monday afternoon.
But our cart is missing here in the lobby of the apartments. We need the cart to load the boxes on, so we can make the room-to-room meal deliveries.
How are we supposed to make this happen without a cart?
I already begin to sigh.
Then Marty, one of the residents, comes around the corner. With a cart. He says he saw us coming and knew we’d need one, so we can borrow his.
We thank him profusely for his graciousness, borrow his cart, and make our deliveries.
On Thursday morning, I get a phone call. It’s from another resident where Marty lives.
She says, “I have some bad news. Marty died.”
Bring Out the Good
It’s too shocking. I doubt her word. “Are you sure? I just saw him Monday and he was fine! Marty has died???”
Yes. She said they found him this morning on the floor, dead from a heart attack.
We go back the following Monday to see our friends, and everyone is talking about Marty. They all are sad.
- One neighbor says Marty is the one who took her to her doctor appointments.
- Another says Marty fixed their neighbor’s TV troubles a day ago.
- Another says Marty was going to take him fishing on Saturday.
Death stripped away all these things.
No one can replace Marty.
As I reflect on UNCERTAINTY (my One Word for the year), I’ve particularly focused this month on the uncertainty of death. Rarely can we predict how or when we’ll die.
I certainly couldn’t have predicted Marty’s death.
The only thing I can predict is that while we are still here in the flesh, still moving and breathing, God is working to bring out the good in us.
I am certain of this: God wants us to live with love toward others. He will help us with this mission every opportunity we’ll give him.
And we have daily opportunities.
I’m grateful for the opportunities that Marty took to help other people. I felt loved by him and so did others.
God brought out the good in Marty while he was here.
May we let God bring out the good in us, too.
Featured Post
For our featured post this week, Karen tells us how the Lord’s Prayer can help us resemble Jesus. If we don’t look like Jesus while we’re here, we’re throwing away opportunities to show who God is.
Read all six of Karen’s points here at her blog, then add your own links in the comments.
“HOW THE LORD’S PRAYER HELPS US RESEMBLE JESUS”
Have you seen God bring out the good in someone this week? Share in the comments.
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Wow, God is certainly using your word in dramatic ways this year. Whenever I bump into uncertainty, I find myself challenged as well.
One thing is for sure: we all will face uncertainty along the way. 🙂
The world needs more people like Marty. I am sorry for the loss. We can only love the best we can in the time we’ve been given. I want to love people like that. I’m not a fan of uncertainty, but all I know is God’s got the “all is well” plan – even though it may not look like I want.
It’s been enlightening to learn more about Marty through his friends as they tell their stories. I also learned that he was only 59 years old (I say “only” because I’m about to turn 59 myself). You’re so right: all we can do is love while we’re here, and trust God with everything else. Thanks, Maryleigh.
Lisa, I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. It’s amazing how people like Marty shine so brightly in these days we are in. We need more Marty’s in the world, and I pray for some Marty to be found in me. Thank you for sharing his story, his testimony, and challenging me to love people deeply.
Thanks, Joanne. I know you are a bright light yourself everywhere you go. We’ve lost three people right in a row where we deliver food, each one special to us. I’m grateful for the time we had with them, but I would have liked more time.
Oh, I am sad with you. Just him loaning the cart brought endearment to my heart for Marty. I am sorry for your loss, Lisa. After Kenneth died, I could only tell people to love and tell people you love them…do not take them for granted for we do not know what today or tomorrow will bring. I have recently written letters to mend a few fences brought on by politics, Covid, and vaccines. I needed to open the doors for healing as they were not.
Thanks for your kind words, Linda. I appreciate your message of encouragement to others after Kenneth died to love, love, love. It’s the best and only lasting thing we truly have; a gift straight from the heart of God for us and to each other.
I’m inspired at your bold step to initiate healing for the rifts among us all the past year or so. Please keep me posted on how that goes. I need to be thinking of this too…
The world needs more Martys. People willing to lend a helping hand. He reminds me of my dad. When he died of an unexpected heart attack, all his neighbors told us story after story of him helping them with things and taking time to talk to them.
I’m glad you were able to hear those stories of your dad, Theresa. How special. I remember hearing stories about my dad too at his memorial service that I had never heard from people I never knew. I wish I had written them down.
What a beautiful legacy he left.
Yes, and Marty is already greatly missed. I was back there Monday and it was so weird not to have him around. 🙁
Sorry about Marty’s loss. Death/loss can happen so suddenly. It sounds like he lived to serve and lived out his life so well-with love and kindness.
Thank you, Lynn. Marty’s death is yet another reminder that each of our lives are more fragile than we know, and we need to make our relationships with each other count!
I’m so sorry for your loss. It sounds like Marty was a man who knew how to love. May each of us look for opportunities to love our neighbors and strangers, too
Lisa, this was a lovely post in so many ways. Your generous heart in delivering the meals, your service together as mother and daughter, and of course meeting Marty. Such good truth here, Marty simply “loved”, without planning, striving or posturing, love flowed through him to others as naturally as his greeting. I am sorry for your loss in such a special friend as Marty, but I know his beauty will live on in your heart.
I appreciate what you’ve taken from this sad experience. I’m sorry you lost Marty.
I just found your link up party. I will try to come back and add you to my link up list.
If you’d like another blog hop, I’d live it if you’d share with our readers at the Homestead Blog Hop. I don’t believe I’ve seen you there. I found you on another blog hop.
Blessings for your day!
Laurie
Ridge Haven Homestead
I’m sorry for the loss of your friend, Marty. He sounds like a neat man. Your word uncertainty has been fleshed out this year with all the covid situations. I appreciate this truth, “I am certain of this: God wants us to live with love toward others.” We can be certain about loving Him and loving others.