Missing A Dear Friend

Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; 1 Timothy 5:21; Proverbs 28:21

I lost a dear friend this past February. He was a very special person. Some would say he was special because of his disability, and perhaps much of it was, but for whatever reason, Stevie was indeed a special kind of friend. At his funeral, it was apparent that some in his family were blown away at the love shown him by so many in our congregation. That was more a testament to Stevie than to our church. He just had that impact on you. 

For starters, Stevie was no respecter of persons. He would greet everyone at church the same, whether you were in tattered hand me downs or dressed to the nines. Whether it was another person with a disability or someone with a doctorate degree, none of that mattered to Stevie. I'm not certain he could process the difference. I am certain of this though; we should all be more like him in that regard. 

When I think of Stevie's lack of partiality toward others I am reminded of James 2:1-4 which reads My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

James goes on to say in verse 8 that we should fulfill the royal law from Leviticus 19:18;  you shall love your neighbor as yourself,  and in verse 9 explains that showing partiality is a sin. 

I will never forget Stevie, and I hope I never forget the valuable lesson that can be learned from his life and his love towards others. May we all follow his example.

James 2:9 (NASB) But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Pastor Mike Deese