She "put-in"

This journey we find ourselves traveling is filled with both joys and sorrows- sometimes a mixture of both in a brief period of time. Our family’s journey took us northward this past week to the birthplace of my husband’s mother- we came together to say goodbye and lay her to rest in the cemetery where her parents, grandparents and other family members already lay.


Small towns in Texas are much the same, regardless of location. The people in the funeral home were warm and compassionate. The high school friends from the class of ’42 regaled the family with memories of church socials and football games. The church ladies fed the family with plates of fried chicken and mashed potatoes – much enjoyed by the grandchildren, I might add!

The time came to join as a family in the small chapel. The family is tiny now and the chapel seemed larger than it probably was. This is a time when family comes together- generations sit side by side- hands are held as each heart holds its own remembrances.

Her battle with Alzheimer’s had taken her memory years ago- she had known no one for almost a decade. The memory of her son was called upon to pick the songs and the scriptures for her- memories of Scripture she insisted he memorize as a child- hymns she encouraged him to learn on the piano- sadly, for her, with little success.

Our dear friend stood to preach from the 23rd Psalm- not all that uncommon for a funeral- but words that had brought her much peace in a life that had held little peace. Traditional hymns played as he finished. The sound of George Beverley Shea’s gravely voice singing Amazing Grace and the Old Rugged Cross, brought tears to our eyes and smiles to our lips- and the service came to an end. The family followed the hearse through the small town- cars pulled off to the side of the road- a sign of honor and respect on Texas highways. Finally, the small procession came to a stop at the designated site. And then came the part of the service, I think, that God had planned for me to hear that day.

Our friend, more a brother really, stood to read a passage that had been a favorite of Peg’s- Luke 12:41-44- a familiar story about the widow’s mite- so familiar- and yet, as God so often does, a new way to hear came to my heart that day. As I was growing up, the story was a favorite of our pastor at budget time- But God had given Scott a different message that day. Friday, as we stood together under that tent, with just a few of us gathered round, God wanted me to hear something else.

Scott noted that three times Jesus had used the phrase “put in”. Jesus, you see, had been watching- watching closely enough to SEE, truly see, what each person passing by “put in.” God drew my thoughts back to the words our pastor had preached the previous Sunday from Romans 12. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice…” As I listened to our friend talk about all Peg had “put in” to the kingdom as she rocked babies in the church nursery, my heart began to truly makes sense of Paul’s words in Romans. I am to be holy and pleasing to God- the King James says “acceptable” to God- because, after all, THIS is my “reasonable service.” It is a reasonable thing to do- to give my life in service to Him- to make an offering of all that I do, all I am, as my reasonable service to the God who gave everything for me.

All of a sudden, the living sacrifice made sense in a way, perhaps, it had not before. I heard our friend’s voice saying, “If we could find those many children rocked in that nursery, and hear their stories of growing up in Christian homes nurtured by parents who worshipped each week while their child was loved and rocked in the nursery- there would not be room on this hill for them to stand.”--- Because Peg, you see, had “put in” all she had…. And Jesus watched … and smiled.

“Therefore, I urge you brothers (and sisters) in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your { reasonable service KJV}.

The words of Jesus say, “…she put in everything she had to live on”- Our friend’s voice put the inflection on the second word in the phrase- live ON….We are called to put in everything we have- everything we ARE (living sacrifices)- so that those we meet, those we serve, will see….truly see, what makes us live ON.

BECAUSE of His great mercy- and IN VIEW of His watchful, loving eyes- what will I “put in” today so that what Christ has given me can “live on” in others for eternity?

Blessings and peace-
Marsha