Source

John Worley was a very rich man, but he knew: on any given day, you could be reminded that you are only human, and if human, sometimes helpless.

He experienced such a moment after he had felt very helpful … his neighbor Selene Slocum-Lofton had gotten a letter that had terribly shocked her, and he had helped her to her room and to her couch, where she lay down.

“Let me brew you some tea, and maybe even cook you some dinner.”

Mrs. Slocum-Lofton had looked up with a face full of shock and pain … that, by itself, was what made John Worley feel absolutely helpless.

“I don't think I'll be able to eat tonight, neighbor, but thank you.”

Mrs. Slocum-Lofton loved to eat … if she wasn't eating, there was a major problem.

“All right … some sweet tea because we're old and get dehydrated and low blood sugarated easily.”

She didn't even smile at his joke.

“All right … we must preserve our strength somehow.”

He took the pitcher of sweet tea out of the refrigerator and poured a big glass for Mrs. Slocum-Lofton … and felt his heart ripping out of his chest as she sat up and sat there trying to be all composed while her pretty nails gave her away … all that perfect nail polish color, tick-tick-ticking against the glass in the agitation she could not control.

“Thank you, John,” she said softly. “Good night.”

“Selene –!”

“Good night, John.”

Out he went … but he returned to the door an hour later as he heard the unthinkable … Mrs. Selene Slocum-Lofton was sobbing uncontrollably. He waited until she had calmed down, and then knocked softly on the door.

“I know it ain't none of my business,” he said, “but will you just let somebody love you as you are, and not as you think you have to pretend to be?”

A minute passed, and then he heard footsteps coming to the door, and then latches being undone, and there she stood, trembling.

“How can I help?” Mr. Worley said. “Who do we need to deal with?”

“It's not that. It's a bigger problem, John. The people involved are good … too good. I can't do what they want. I am just not that good of a person. That's the problem.”

“Well, that's a hard thing to come to terms with,” Mr. Worley said gently. “But, it is a realization that many of us had to come to in order to get right in life. I thought I was going to have to take you to the hospital, but maybe we should go by the Church in the Midst of Life.”

Mrs. Slocum-Lofton trembled.

“I knew when I first went there that I would have to reckon with the Gospel I heard, and the God offering it. It was just a matter of time.”

Her shaking increased, but then Mr. Worley put his arms around her.

“You don't have to be afraid,” he said. “You know how you just unlocked that door when I knocked, because you knew I'm for you and I love you, no matter what? God is the same way if He's calling you to His Son Jesus Christ. He ain't trying to hurt you; He said He came to seek and save the lost. If you know that you are lost, then let Him find you.”

She looked down, and then turned around.

“I haven't publicized it, but I allowed the big memorial the use of my property. What they don't know is that on that very spot, I once celebrated the death of a Black family.”

Mr. Worley jumped.

“My grandson married a Black woman, and I hated him and her and their child,” she said. “She died in childbirth, and my family and I celebrated the fact … the fire was inevitable, although 27 years delayed. I don't know why I was spared; I didn't deserve to be spared.”

“You were spared because God has mercy on whoever He is going to have mercy on,” Mr. Worley said.

“The organizers of the memorial going on have invited me to go and have a word – they said it was only right, and that I would be one of the few honored White guests. I can't do that. I don't deserve to mar their day.”

“You can if you take care of your business with God first, and then you can just go and tell the truth about how you've changed and Who has been changing you as He drew you to Him.”

Please, Lord, please – if you have caused me to love her for no other reason, let it be this, that I can help her come to You!

“Far be it from me not to handle all necessary business.”

“This is the biggest you'll ever do, Selene.”

Mrs. Slocum-Lofton stood a few more moments, and then buried her head in Mr. Worley's chest.

“All right … let's go talk to Rev. Baxter.”

Photo by Frederick Medina on Unsplash