When my three boys were little and we walked into the sanctuary for Sunday morning worship, I always made a deliberate calculation before we took our seats as to which of the boys I needed to sit between. (Who is the most likely to get into mischief today? Which two were fighting before we even made it out of the driveway? Who seems to be the calmest and most compliant this morning?) On many occasions, I either miscalculated from the get-go or discovered that a change in the seating chart was required part-way through the worship service. As quickly and quietly as possible, I would slip out of my seat and insert myself between the two boys who needed more supervision.
There was one additional strategy I employed each Sunday, and that was to try to spot Laura Larson in the pews and, if at all possible, sit directly in front of her. Laura was a lovely woman in her 80’s who had a heart for children in general and for my boys, in particular.
Soon after joining the church, I had learned that Laura was always a voice of encouragement and a person who never cast judgement on unruly kids (or their parents!). On the contrary, Laura seemed to understand that for the most part, everyone – including exasperated parents and disruptive children – were just doing the best they could. She never failed to greet my boys before the service began and talk to them when it ended. If they had been particularly well-behaved – which did happen on occasion (thank you, Jesus!) – Laura would praise them for their attentiveness during worship and tell them how proud she was of them. And on all the other Sundays, Laura told my boys how much she loved seeing them in church and that she looked forward to seeing them again next time!
Laura was such a gift, and although I often thanked her for her affirming words, I doubt she ever fully understood how much they meant to me. I think Laura would be happy to know that I still remember her and more than a little surprised that my boys – two of whom now have children of their own – still remember her, too. When we reminisce about that congregation, they almost always mention the kind woman who sat behind us on Sunday mornings whose eyes lit up whenever she saw them. And then they give a nod to Laura’s incredible patience for putting up with their shenanigans.
God of all generations, thank you for people like Laura who have left an imprint on our lives through their kindness and encouragement. Help us to remember that a few simple words can make a profound and lasting impression on those who need to hear them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.