A Kind Man
January 13, 2009
About 23 years ago, or so, I transferred as a young college student to Houston Texas. I remember the first time I attended church after moving there - a tall, thin, friendly, older gentleman came up to me and introduced himself as Trent Meaders, and he handed me a business card from the Exxon gas station that he owned. He said that if I ever broke down or needed anything to just call him. I said thanks, and stuck the card in my pocket.
Trent was the kind of guy who hung out in the back entry of the church, and always greeted people as they walked in with a handshake, and a one-liner comment about the weather or something. I was the kind of guy who thought I was doing the church a favor whenever I showed up, even if I was a half hour late. One day I remember I was really late, and as I walked in, Trent made some kind of corny comment about the time, like maybe my watch had rusted or something. For some reason, I don't know why, I took his comment as a dig, and snapped back, "I know what time it is", and walked into the auditorium. If it hurt Trent's feelings, he never showed it. He always continued to greet me as friendly as ever.
Over the years, rather than this little incident fading away in my memory, I think about it more all the time, and it haunts me. I think what a nice man Trent Meaders was, and what an immature, unappreciative, young man I was. Did my rude remark discourage Trent from being kind and generous to the next immature college student that showed up at church? I hope not, and I doubt that it did, but I'll never know. I do know how it changed me however.
These days, I often serve coffee on Sunday mornings at our church before class starts. When kids walk in late, after we've already started putting things away, I often think of Trent Meaders, and I suppress my first instinct to say - "Too late, too bad, you missed it, go to class", and instead I usually say - "Hey, there's still some coffee left and a few donuts...".
This exact thing happened to me yesterday. A young college aged man walked in late, and as I thought of Trent Meaders, I got the cups back out and poured him some coffee.
That night, that same young man walked down the isle at the close of our church service, and asked to be baptized. At some churches, in some places, this happens all the time. At our church this hasn't happend in years. Men jumped up and scrambled to fill the baptistry with water, and the young man was indeed baptized.
Did my offering him a cup of coffee that morning he was late for class cause him to be baptized? No it didn't, but had I snapped at him with a rude remark about being late, that might have been enough to make him not come back.
I wish Trent Meaders could know how much I appreciate the kindness he showed me without ever expecting anything in return.
--Greg