My friend, Lucy, is all I could want to be. Lucy is the most “real”, most “just like you and me”, most “down to earth” Christian, I know.
She’s no ‘ holier than thou’, ‘better than the rest’, Christian. She’s heard every curse word there is (I know she has), and could probably tell a few off-color jokes…but, I don’t ever hear her repeat either. She’s been known to drink a wine cooler, but I’ve never seen her drunk. Lucy doesn’t try to be anything she’s not, she doean’t dress in designer labels or carry the right purse, she wears what makes her happy. She fits in just as well with the crowd down at the Lodge as well as an evening Bible Study.
Lucy will do the dirty work. She’ll march tribes of those unruly children to the church every Wednesday afternoon, because it pleases her so to see them love Jesus. Or stay late on a Wednesday night picking up the mess after 20 jr highers have pretty much marked their territory on the youth room. She’ll spend an entire night awake at a lock-in with thirteen year old girls, or teach Sunday school to the entire elementary education department because no one else would volunteer. She’s been the Christmas program director for a whole lot of years, just about as many as she’s been Vacation Bible School director…no one else would do it…but Lucy does. You see, Lucy loves Jesus. And she knows Jesus loves the little children. I’ve seen her madder than a ole rooster at a few of those children, but the mad didn’t last any longer than it took for compassion to overrule and her tears to flow for their brokenness. Lucy and I both know she can’t sing a lick…but I’ve seen her lead the children’s choir. Lucy is love in action.
Lucy has never driven a fancy car. In fact, she has usually had a junker. More than half the time I’ve known her, her dryer has been broken and she’s hung laundry on the line or about the house (while raising four children)…but Lucy doesn’t complain. I don’t even think I’ve even heard her “want” for those things. She is never jealous or envious of others, she’s always been content with what she has.
My friend, Lucy is like all of us, she was young and crazy once. She made foolish mistakes. But I’ve watched Lucy, stay connected to God, stay faithfully in His word, attend church regularly…and, more and more, become like Jesus. She hasn’t seemed to live the roller coaster faith that a lot of us do, with it mountain tops and lulls…she’s just kept on one step at a time growing stronger in her love for Him. I see her now, twenty years later, being amazed daily at how He works in and around her.
I believe the first time I met Lucy we learned the Fruits of the Spirit song at Bible School with our kids. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience and Kindness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Goodness and Self-control. I think on those fruits…
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
And I think…boy, do I love Lucy.
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