One Kind Word

Matthew 25:21b -- "Share your master's Joy!"

What little of California that I had been afforded a view - I wasn't entirely sure I really liked, but I think that may have been more on my attitude that it was actually on the State itself. I wasn't really very excited to be back in the U.S. AND in the middle of all the chaos I was STILL struggling with an eating disorder. I would battle the thing for more than twelve years.

I had been caught. While the rest of my fellow missionary kids were bounding down the stairs toward the cafeteria at MuKappa International in Rosemead, California - I had huddled in a corner of my room, hoping to avoid discovery AND the food. It was just my luck that the cleaning crew covered the rooms at that moment and I was immediately sent down to eat with the rest of the gang. Begrudgingly, I slowly made my way down the curved stair way into the lobby.

I'll never forget what happened next.

A woman poked her head out of one of the guest rooms located on the first floor.  She looked me - literally, up and and down - and then said to me: "you'll do."

For what will I do, I wondered?

She asked me to come into the room. It was Joni Earekson Tada's room. I couldn't believe it. the nurse then informed me that her partner had gone out on an errand and hadn't yet returned, but she needed to get Joni into her wheel chair or she'd be late for her speaking engagement - her greeting and encouragement to all of us M.K's. I HAD heard she was coming, of course. I knew she was to be the key-note speaker and was actually excited about it because she'd been someone I read about and admired for a long time. But - in my wildest dreams  - I'd never imagined I would be meeting her face to face!

I did as the nurse instructed and Joni was placed, gently into her wheel chair. She asked about me as I did so. About where my parents had been stationed and how I like Rosemead. Then she said to me: "what size shoe do you wear?"

Huh!? I looked down at my feet as if they'd suddenly just sprouted there. I couldn't remember what size shoe I wore.  When it finally came to me and I answered her question she said - looking me strait in the eye - "I was about your size when I had my accident."

What!? No way. Nobody could have been cursed with my size and shape and my clodhopper feet. [this is what was actually going through my head - truth or no.]

She shared joy with me. She probably doesn't know that, but she really did. She looked at me, looked me in the eye and didn't see the mess that I saw when I looked into the mirror. She saw another human being. I was totally dumbfounded.

And the cherry on top?

She expressed her excitement, her awe, at being introduced to REAL missionary kids. She couldn't believe she'd been granted the gift of meeting us, face to face.

REALLY!?  SHE couldn't believe it?  Here I was, lifting Joni Earekson Tada out of the bed and into her wheel chair and SHE was the one in awe? In so many, many ways - this beautiful, smart and talented woman amazes me.  She just does!

Share your Master's joy! In my New Living Translation it says "let us celebrate together!". Don't be afraid or timid to tell some one: "hey, I like your earrings" or "hey, good job at making my sub" or "THAT is a cool shirt!". You never know, they might really NEED to hear something joyful! You might not realize just how much they really do - but we ARE instructed to share it!

I for one, am so very glad that Joni did. Like I said, she probably doesn't even realize how very much her simple comment meant to me. I will never, never forget it.