Devotion Eleven
3.12.22
We are going to re-visit the interview of Rene Marie on ‘Jazz Night in America’ with Christian McBride. As I said, I don’t know much about jazz but this interview was very meaningful to me.
Apparently Marie grew up in Roanoke, Virginia. Her mother was a grade school teacher. Every Saturday they would go to the grocery store and her mother would buy an extra bag of groceries. These groceries were for the family of one of the students in her mother’s classroom. On the way home from the store, Marie’s mother would drive by the home of the family for whom the groceries were intended. The mother would tell Marie to get out, put the bag of food by the front door, ring the door bell, and tear back to the car. The mother did not want the family to know who it was that brought the much-needed the groceries. She wanted to protect their dignity and self-respect.
Imagine that family, opening the door and discovering that food. Like manna from heaven. Finding the wildness of Divine mercy right there on the stoop!
Marie said that this was never discussed in her family. It was just done. She learned by example. And she saw that this helped the family in need. It helped her mother. And it taught the children through example. That is the wildness of mercy!
How are we showing forth mercy for the well-being of ourselves, the world, and those around us, especially children? Yes, children need food. But they also need to be taught by example of the wildness of mercy.
Prayer: Think of a child. A child in your life. A grandchild. A neighbor. A stranger, even. How are they learning mercy from you? How are you leaving a legacy of the wildness of mercy? May we be grateful that we have so much to give and to share. May the wildness of mercy overflow in us! Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 