Don’t Greive: Rejoice!

[NOTE: this article was first published during Christmas Season several years ago]
Frequently during this season when we would normally be rejoicing, those of us that have recently suffered the loss of a loved one, or perhaps it might have even been years ago when someone we were close to, passed away, and we now find ourselves grieving over our loss. It is this situation that caused me to share with you the following;

My wife Ann was on the phone for some time this morning with her Aunt Lita, who told Ann that yesterday Uncle Dallas and cousin Irene went to town shopping and she (Aunt Lita) opted to stay home. Aunt Lita told Ann that she had spent most of the day crying as she grieved over the loss of her Brother, Ann’s Uncle Merle. Brother Merle Lee has been gone two years now but those of us who knew him still miss him.

Ann counseled her Aunt and through the conversation Lita shared the following story about Merle.

Years ago Uncle Merle served as THE police officer for the small Ozarks town where he lived for most of his life. In those days the officer supplied everything, his uniform, his badge, his gun, and even his car, the city reimbursed him for his gas and paid a PALTRY salary that was barely enough to make a living on.

One Christmas Uncle Merle was out on patrol along US highway 60 which was a narrow two lane concrete ribbon that passed through town in them days, “60” is four lane and bypasses the little burg now. Anyway Merle came across a car with a family inside stranded along the road. He stopped and asked what the problem was and the man driving the car told him that he and his family was traveling and ran out of gas. Merle replied and told the man to get in the police car and he would take him to get some gas, but the man informed Merle that he had no money. Merle told him just get in my police car and I will get you some gas.

So Merle drove the man to a gas station and got a few gallons in a can and they took it back to the car and poured the gas into the tank, Then Merle ordered the man to follow him back to the gas station where Merle filled the man’s gas tank up. Then Merle ordered the man to drive his car and family to the local grocery store where he purchased several cans of vegetable soup then he told the man to follow him to the police station at city hall, where Merle heated the soup up to feed this family. Merle had noted the man and his family looked as if they had not eaten in some time. When they were finished Merle sent the family on their way, after wishing them a Merry Christmas.

This selfless act on Merle’s part, selfless as although Merle was rich in spirit he never was a man of great material wealth, is an act that many of our loved ones have also done.

Granted 40 years ago, a tank of gas and a few cans of soup did not cost much, but due to Merle’s salary as a Police Officer of a small Ozarks town the total amount of dollars he spent helping this family was probably a large portion of his cash reserves until the next payday. We should each remember these acts of giving at this time of year when we all reflect upon the greatest act of giving, that of God giving us his only begotten son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we grieve for our loved ones that have left us behind while they have gone on ahead following that road that nobody knows how old, let us reflect and rejoice upon the wonderful things, their acts of selflessness, the real differences that our loved ones made in the lives of other people. Let us remember that by their good works they have served the creator by contributing to mankind, and therefore “laid up treasures in heaven” that they are now reaping the benefits thereof.

As we go through this Christmas season let us set our grief aside and enjoy the light of God as we remember those that we love who are now in HIS hands. Amen