Make Every Day CountSample

You Have Someone To Live For
by Rev. Kenley Mann

A chauffeur drove up to a cemetery and asked the minister/caretaker to come to the car because his employer was too ill to walk. In the car was a frail old lady with sunken eyes that showed years of hurt and anguish. She introduced herself and said that she had been sending $5 to the cemetery for the past several years to be used for flowers on her husband’s grave. 

“I have come in person today,” she said, “because the doctors gave me only a few weeks to live and I want to see my husband’s grave one last time.” 

The minister replied, “I am sorry you have been sending money for those flowers. I am part of a group that visits patients in hospitals and mental institutions. They dearly love flowers. They can see them and they can smell them. Flowers are therapy for them because they are living people.” 

Upset, she motioned to her chauffeur to leave. 

Months later, the minister was surprised to see the same car drive up, but this time, the old lady was driving. 

She said, “You know, when I was here the last time, I hated you when I left. As I thought about it, though, I decided you were right. Now I take flowers to the hospitals and it does make the patients happy and it makes me happy, too. The doctors can't figure out what made me well but I know that it’s because I now have someone else to live for.”

Do you have someone to live for? Pastors and caretakers in Christ have someone to live for: Jesus, the King of the Jews. That title was a mockery on his cross, but it is our glory, for his glory is in the shame of our sin that he bore in our place. That shows us our worth forever. Take joy in Christ, your King, as the one you live for now and forever in heaven.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for delivering me from the hopelessness and despair of self-service as you forgot yourself and were taken up with me. Your love and forgiveness fill me with joy. Lead me to see you as the one I live for now and as my joy in heaven forever. Amen.