“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” — Galatians 5:14
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As baseball season gets going, pitchers are trying to keep their arms flexible and not overdo anything so they can get through the long season. Infielders and outfielders will stretch and jog between innings to avoid pulling a muscle. In spite of athletes’ best efforts, however, injuries still happen on and off the field.
Trainers try everything possible to keep players healthy or help get them back on the field as quickly as possible after broken ankles or shoulder surgeries. Sometimes we don’t realize the importance of the training staff until somebody is on the ground yelling about their pulled hamstring or broken arm. Trainers are the first ones to help them.
Recently, I assisted several other ministers in celebrating the life of a dear, departed friend. Buddy Leger was one of those people who was the first to help others. He served in the U.S. Navy, grew large fields of watermelons and many pecan orchards, worked as a broker to help other farmers bring their produce to market, and served on several committees to promote farming and agribusiness everywhere. As he worked long hours and gained respect in his community, state and nation, he knew county commissioners, governors and presidents on a first-name basis.
He was very busy and successful. It would have been easy for him to enjoy the fruits of his labor and not notice the suffering of people around him. However, he noticed everybody wounded on life’s battlefield and lived out his Christian faith by relieving people’s suffering when he could. He often made encouraging phone calls, invited people into his office for advice, and gave financial assistance anonymously to people in desperate situations. In many cases, he inspired men and women who wanted to give up on life to keep going and bounce back from their tragedies and setbacks.
For eight years, I was Buddy’s pastor and we were prayer partners. He reminded me to love others, forgive often and never quit, no matter what happens. In a world where jealousy and pettiness sometimes stop people from doing good, Buddy Leger was an inspiration. He believed the Golden Rule and lived by it. He tried to bring people together for the greater good of everyone.
The Bible can be summarized by loving the people God made and put in our path. “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'” (Galatians 5:14).
Have you slowed down enough to even notice those in your path? If so, how have you thoughtfully engaged them with care and love? No matter how well you do in sports or life, your real strength will be in how well you love and lift others up.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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