Remembering Kindness

The other afternoon, I stopped at a local restaurant to enjoy a cup of coffee with friends.


There was a man waiting in line who looked me over and then called me by my name and then asked if he was correct.

I told him he was, but I on the other hand had absolutely no recollection of this man.

He removed his sunglasses and introduced himself.

It was only then that I realized I indeed knew this man because we had once worked together over twenty five years ago.

He had yet another surprise for me.

He told me he remembered a kindness I had shown him those many years ago.

Not remembering it myself I had to ask what exactly that kindness was.

After all, a great deal of time had passed and those days were long ago.

At this point in my life I can barely remember what I had for breakfast Tuesday morning.

He related the incident and as he related it the memory of it returned.

This man had made a mistake on the job and knowing our employers the way I did, I feared they would make an example of this man.

I knew this man needed the job and firing him would bring tremendous financial hardship on him.

I spoke to his supervisor and a member of management and told them of his circumstances hoping they would perhaps show him some leniency.

My words fell on deaf ears.

They told me that the decision to fire him had already been made and I received a rather stern speech for trying to intercede for him.

A coworker ran into him a few days later and told him about my efforts.

I had forgotten completely about the incident and my efforts.

This man did not.

Even though more than a quarter of a century had elapsed and the final outcome did not change, this man remembered how I tried to intervene on his behalf.

It reminded me how fortunate I was to have someone intercede on my behalf.

Paul reminds me that I am a sinner.

Romans 3:23 (NET) - For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.

Even in my fallen state, I have someone who intercedes on my behalf. And where I failed in my attempt, the one who intercedes for me will never fail.

Romans 8:34 (NET) - Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us.

Why would Christ intercede for me?

I can do nothing to earn salvation.

I certainly can do nothing to deserve it.

If I were to get what I truly deserve my situation would be most dire.

It is because of God’s love and mercy that Christ paid the price I could never hope to pay.

John 3:16-17 (NET) - For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that the everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.

It is through Christ’s willingness to follow His Father’s will to the cross that I have hope.

That is a kindness I will never forget.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 10, 2012.
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I’ll be back here on Friday, August 3, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.