Sharing the Savior’s Story

New Perspective II

Some time ago I came across a story about a woman who was dying of AIDS. Although she had been a faithful wife, her husband had not been an honorable helpmate. She received the illness from him, and then he left for points unknown. As was the case years ago, the woman soon found herself deserted by her friends. Her reputation had been unfairly ruined. To stave off loneliness, she summoned a minister to her hospital room. She wanted him to provide some kind of comfort. But, of course, she had little hope that he, or anyone else, could do so. She had been forgotten. When the chaplain arrived, she whispered, “I'm lost. My life is ruined and so are the lives of those around me. There is no hope.”

Looking around, the pastor saw a silver-framed picture of a pretty girl on the dresser. Not that it makes any difference, this little girl was about twelve years old, about the same age as Jairus’ daughter. “And who is this?” the minister asked. For the first time, the woman seemed to brighten. “That’s Teri, my daughter. She is the only beautiful thing left to me.”

The pastor asked, “Do you mind if I ask a question?” She didn’t mind. “Would you still call Teri your daughter if she was in trouble … maybe bad trouble … maybe so much that none of her friends talked to her or wanted to spend time with her? Would you still love her?”

With understandable upset, the woman replied, “Reverend, what kind of question is that? Of course I would love her. She’s my daughter. I’m her mother. When everyone else left her, that’s when she would need me the most.”

The minister, in a voice that was hardly above a whisper, said, “Even so. Even so. It was a hard question, but I needed to hear your answer. You see, I want you to know that God has your picture on His dresser, too.”

Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour broadcast of: July 13, 2003