Take good with bad

Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” Put that truth in the parking lot for just a minute.

When we were in East Texas, our First Baptist Church did an annual Vacation Bible School at the local nursing home. We essentially took the same curriculum, crafts and music and head down to what is the last stop for many to share the joy of following Jesus. T his w as my first rodeo concerning VBS at the nursing home and I was skeptical, but I was blessed beyond measure.

I met a woman who must eat bugs for breakfast and what I mean by that is she always looked like she had eaten a bug, a real scowl on her face and not happy about anything. (I hear old people are already mad at being old and it doesn’t take much to tick them off). She was 80 years old and in a wheelchair. She is healthy mentally she is just meaner than a stepped-on snake.

As I left one morning after giving my “sermon” I heard her tell a friend that I did not dress like a preacher. T he next d ay I wore my best preacher slacks and tie. I asked her when I saw her, “Am I dressed like a preacher today?” She said, “Yes, but it was the first time she had seen it.” Ouch! I love you too!

This dear lady would not attend the VBS services, she told me “VBS is for kids.” I’m telling you this woman was loaded for bear.

On the third day I was wearing a Vineyard Vine belt with their trademark logo a whale. She asked me a bout m y b elt a nd I explained - she then asked me how old I was? I replied, 55 and she said, aren’t you a l ittle t oo o ld f or a b elt like that. Wow! If I were to describe Linda, I would use the word honest. At least from her perspective.

I may have shared about a woman named Mrs. Wacker. She is a wheelchair cigarette smoking momma originally from Kansas. When the Blonde and I would stop by to visit her we would always stop at the flower shop and get her a Sunflower (Kansas state flower). Mrs. Wacker gets about six cigarettes a day and she enjoys every drag. She told our church members who were helping with VBS that she was undeserving of a pastor who expressed his love in such tangible ways. Her comment humbled me. I hope she knows how much her friendship means to me.

Okay, back to Psalm 23:4. We take the good with the bad, don’t we? We might be in a valley but the Lord is with us. The valley is not so good but the Lord is crazy good, He is faithful, gentle, forgiving, kind and always provides all that we need regardless of our outward circumstances.

Can I encourage you today? Take the good with the bad. Love the people that always get up on the wrong side of the bed and love the people that appreciate you, God is with you in both.

He told me to tell you that.