Honoring a Child of God

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Later today it will be my privilege to help a group of folk honor the memory of one of God's children.  As I write this the news in going in the background.  The broadcast is full of the rich, famous, powerful, and talented.  Cheryl was none of the above.  Her education stopped in grade school.  She never had a job, or a driver's license.  Until the last few months of her life she lived with relatives.  We live in a world that dishonors people like Cheryl in the most profound manner--their life is taken before they emerge from the womb.  Do I describe Cheryl as "mentally retarded," "slow," "challenged," or, "gifted differently"?  One way or another all of those descriptions are accurate; none of them, though, do anything to help capture who Cheryl was, and they are totally inaccurate in describing who she is. When we gather today to remember Cheryl we will remind one another that she is God's child.   It is appropriate to acknowledge when those who are rich, talented, and powerful use those assets to bless others.  The problem is we often act as if such things are what define a person.  Not so.  Ultimately what matters in life is what God thinks of a person. Do I really think that God, the Creator and Lord of all that is, is impressed with a mere mortal's stash of stuff? While God takes joy in the exercise of the talents of His human creatures, don't you think His appreciation is like a parent watching a talented teen, and an enthusiastic toddler?  Does the vastly greater talent of the older child impress the parent more than the efforts of the little one? Often when we praise the rich, powerful, and talented, we ought to offer thanks instead--thanks to their Creator, and ours, rather than praise to the creature.  Ultimately that is our source of value.  The wealthiest person I know--the smartest, the most talented--are people of value for precisely the same reason that Cheryl, who was not the...est anything, was and is a person of infinite value.  We are creatures of God. So we gather today to honor and remember one who gave out sweet smiles and warm hugs, who loved Dr. Pepper.  She could barely read and write, but she loved to receive and send cards.  She lived with fears that didn't make sense to the rest of us, and loved with a love that in its simple focus put the rest of us to shame.  Today she walks with those who were rich and powerful in this world.  She discusses Theology, Philosophy, and Science with those who were this world's greatest thinkers.   We honor her because we loved her, and she loved us, and made our lives better.  We honor her because in doing so we state that every human life is of infinite value.  We honor her because it is right.  In honoring her we praise our Lord and give Him thanks. It's STTA.