If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
-Mother Teresa-
Good Morning,
I visited Claire Woods, the former director of The Salvation Army Family Treatment Services, in the hospital on Friday. Her husband, Pat, the doctor and a hospital technician were with me. Claire was asleep during the visit. The doctor and technician were busy working, when I asked them, “Do you know what this lady has done for our community?” They did not. I told them about the families that are together today because of her, about people were alive today because of her, and that there was no way to measure the impact that she has had on hundreds, if not thousands, of people. I am not absolutely sure why I wanted to tell them about Claire, however, I wanted them to know that the person in front of them was very special.
I asked them if they would join Pat and me for a time of prayer. Together, we thanked God for Claire. I thanked God for the lives she had touched and influenced. I thanked God for touching me through Claire’s life.
The focus of so many in our world today is on themselves. This has been called, I believe appropriately so, as the “me” generation. People strive for their own happiness, their own needs, making sure they are happy, pleased, and gratified. It is refreshing and inspiring to know someone like Claire Woods, who swan upstream against the philosophy of today, and spent much of her life working toward the betterment of others.
Jesus stressed the importance of serving others; never more so than in his words of Matthew 25:34-40, highlighted in verse 40, “'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
William Booth, Founder of The Salvation Army, wanted to send a message to Salvationists around the world. In those days, communication was by telegraph, and you paid for each word. Times were tough and the Army was short on money, so William Booth sent a one-word telegram. The word he sent was OTHERS.
I thank God for Claire Woods. I ask that each of you pray for her, for Pat, and their family. I ask that you pray for her health, but ask you also thank God that He gives us people like Claire who make this world a much better place.
Blessings,
d
