Yesterday I attended a second memorial service for my friend, Jack Abel. I went to the first one because I happened to be off for the weekend and was staying near where the service took place. Jack began his ministry as a United Methodist, but for a number of reasons, ended up losing his ordination. He was serving as the director of spiritual care at the amazing Caron Treatment Center in our area and needed to be ordained in a recognized denomination. I met him in my capacity as the chair of the committee in the UCC in our area that gives permission to serve in our denomination. Our committee recognized Jack’s many gifts, but more importantly, we saw the work he was putting in on his journey towards healing. I’m so glad we were able to welcome him into our faith community.
At both services, I heard the many stories of how Jack helped people in some of the worst situations. One of the administrators said that Caron was not a place you ended up when you were on a winning streak. Jack’s interfaith approach, sense of humor, directness, and compassion enabled people from all walks of life to feel seen and heard. And while I heard many times about Jack’s many talents, this is not what made him exceptional. He was exceptional because he chose to take the challenges in his own life and work through them so he could do good. He took great care in his own life to follow the 12 Steps of Recovery, and he was also a devoted follower of Jesus. Real Jesus, not fake Jesus. When Jack was ordained, he promised to do good always and refrain from doing harm. For some, that isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Imagine how life could be if we all did our best to do good and to refrain from doing harm. Imagine waking up every morning with those two concepts in your mind. As individuals, we can’t bring peace to war-stricken areas, but we can find peace in ourselves and share it with others. I can’t cure cancer, but I can be a resource of solace and support for those who are in that battle. I can’t convince mean-spirited people to stop picking on LGBTQ people, but I can reach out and be friends with people in my community who are being bullied. Doing good isn’t really all that difficult; all it takes is a positive outlook and a non-judgmental spirit. Doing good is also a choice. How we choose to live our lives is completely up to us. Do good. Refrain from doing harm. Make the world a better place. One person at a time.
Prayer – Holy God, You have given us the gifts to be Your people. May we choose the path of goodness. Amen.
Today’s art is “Goodness” by Linda Bailey.