Monday, February 20, 2017

Grace Begets Grace


Several months ago now, a faithful man of God was accidentally killed while jogging with his dog in Robbinsville.  At the time he was killed, Steve Mayer was the superintendent of the Robbinsville, NJ, school district.  When I first met him, he was the principal of the brand-new Grover Middle School that my frightened, learning-disabled daughter entered as a seventh-grader.  The next two years were as close to miraculous as anything I have seen as the learning environment built by Principal Mayer empowered Ruth to fully and enthusiastically engage in her education. 

When Mayer was killed, one of the many anecdotes that became public was his philosophy to make someone’s day, every day.  It was something he practiced and something he shared with his family.

Now, as Steve Mayer’s fellow heirs of faith living on this side of the kingdom during a dreary New Jersey winter, we have the privilege and the pleasure of following Mayer’s most excellent advice.  The Apostle Paul has observed that the time is short (I Cor. 7:29).  It seems to me that today, and tomorrow, and every day thereafter provide wonderful opportunities to make someone’s day.  It need not be a grandiose gesture of munificence.  We simply do not know how a kind word or simple act of kindness might manifest the kingdom of God to a soul in need of the Lord’s gentle touch. 

Steve Mayer is now among the cloud of witnesses cheering us on.  May we give him something to cheer about as we follow his example in honoring our Lord.