This date is reserved in my memory and prayer for family, because it is the birth date of my mother, born in 1897, and deceased in 1993. Her formal education was limited, but what she had was practical, and helped carry her through difficult years. She had three small children, less than two years of age when her husband returned from work, laid off until he could recover from tuberculosis. My twin sisters were less than six months old, born sixteen months after me. My father returned to his mother, who gave of herself and what money she had, to help him regain his health. She sat by his bed as he drew his last breath. She also had his three children born to his first wife. They were awarded to him by the divorce court, but he was ill equipped to care for them, except to get them to his mother, a widow, so to raise a second family without assistance. I could fill this Page with a litany of the day to day effort of the brave lives of labor and love by persons, especially women, who used what they learned, and how to stretch it, to meet the needs of the lives dependent upon them. The ones who made it in the male dominated society were partly driven by a belief that learning led to understanding, and with experience led to wisdom. It gave them a respect for self that addressing the conditions of life visited on them could make it worth the effort. I remain amazed in my advanced years to hear so many complaints about this or that when I know about real problems overcome by so many who had nothing but necessities hard won for survival – in management with an acceptant attitude. Perhaps there are similar stories in our era, vast in numbers and largely unknown.
Without taking away any respect and honor I feel for these persons, I know that privately they felt that there was limited understanding of their life context on the part of those around them. They felt that life was hard and even wondered if God might be judging something wrong in them. Out of this, and from the mercies noted in Scripture as important to God, it became my purpose to be appreciative to persons, but especially to those I felt needed a lift in life. Out of this sort of perception we learn that there are many situations in which some small gesture of time, touch or word, meant more than money, visible gifts, or promises. I am sometimes surprised how little it takes to lift some feelings of oppression or depression.
Somewhere I found the word inspiriting. There are the faultfinders, the neglecters, the over-lookers, but true friends are inspiriters. It is a part of life in some fulfillment of relationship, meant to lift us, not to put down. Neglect is a put down. Disregard is a put down. Our education, formal and informal, combined with our experience (testing) leads to life wisdom. That creates a context that, even when matters go badly, there is spiritual refuge to cover us. Much of formal education is for development of skills that will aid the student to find an occupation that pays well. Christian education is first concerned with life, its values, social needs, intellectual and spiritual enlargement – improvement of persons. In this is formed the God approved, person, regardless of chosen occupation and the wage awarded for it. There ought to be no complaint that a Christian gains as much wealth as can be accumulated in fairness, if that person uses the accumulation as a tool for good – not only for self and family, but for others. Even then the right use is not for personal favor, but to honor the name of God, who chooses to receive his honors by serving the needs of mankind. A problem occurs in that we do not get our priorities straight. Even our education is returned to us in serving the creation, principally mankind. At the time of this writing, there appears to be a decline in the context perception in which God wants mankind to go out of the way to serve. We are taken with technology at the moment. It even drives markets, and steals our time. When we have learned, in any age, that our purpose is to serve others, sometimes with sacrifice, we discover God’s values. There is an equilibrium gained in adopting the context for life. Even the pagan (unbelieving in deity) appears to gain some benefit from God in acting altruistically. The point is made: Give and it shall be given unto you. It is a promise that makes a difference in eternity’s agenda. We have no idea how the differentials are administered, but they are going to be found in the mix. God does not determine redemption on human performance, but he does not disregard any good works done for others. Our concern is to make sure we do not confuse grace (God forgiveness), with our works (human largess, self-giving). *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020