Once upon a time, upon orders from my
spouse, I sat silently among strangers at a social gathering while listening in
on a conversation led by a gentleman getting on in the years. He was telling
those around him that at twelve years of age he was too young. He continued the
story along the same line: "at twenty, I felt too good; at thirty, too
busy; at forty, too important; at sixty, too old."
I wanted to know, too old for what, but
kept politely silent.
After a moment of staring into the distance
with a smile of satisfaction spreading across a weathered face, he cut the
suspense with, "Yes, too old to get involved in serving my Lord." At
this moment there came a throat-clearing and an "excuse me" from a
man standing at a before-now not-noticed podium.
"Folks, I would like to make everyone
aware - having just noticed myself - of the presence of Mr. Jack Murphy. I am
sure most of those present know that only an hour or so ago he arrived at the
airport from his nearly five years serving without fanfare and in almost total
anonymity the needs of war-orphaned Afghan Children in the back-water areas
frequented by the all-too-dangerous Taliban - serving in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Few people in their twenties could have endured the long hours
Mr. Murphy was called on to work in order to meet the needs of those Muslim
children in a country where children with parents have little chance, let alone
orphaned children. Yet, at eighty-three, his example of selfless and courageous
service for our beloved Savior gave courage to hundreds of children to accept
Baptism from Brother Murphy."
When our Father needs us, he never lets
excuses stand in his path - so let's quit making them, let's roll up our sleeves,
and let's be ever ready to serve.
