Under the Influence
I live under the influence . . . of a godly man living a godly life, a man who consistently puts others above himself. I am among the privileged few fortunate enough to be married to a man I not only love, but respect and admire. He inspires me. He challenges me to be a better person simply by being who he is. The fact is that Bobby would give you the shirt off his back even if he didn’t have another for himself. He gives freely of his time as well as his talents and possessions. No task is beneath him, and he finds no individual to be undeserving of his compassion.
I remember a fairly recent instance when a friend of ours called with a crisis. His car had broken down and needed a tow. Bobby literally dropped what he was doing, hooked the car trailer up to his truck, and down the road he went to pick up our friend and his ailing car. Then, he brought them both back to our place so he could use our garage, car-lift, and tools to repair his car.
Numerous times, my accommodating husband has awakened at 0-dark-thirty to drive friends or family to the airport an hour away so they can catch an early flight. This is no small task for a natural-born night owl, but he’s always willing to lay aside his own comfort to help a friend in need. He has generously loaned large sums of money to others who’ve gotten themselves into a financial bind; he’s written checks to someone in dire need who can’t make their house payment; he’s welcomed strangers into our home and offered food & shelter for extended periods of time; and he selflessly took care of his father who was dying of cancer. These are but a few examples of the incredible outward expressions of his inner integrity.
This is the depth of character I saw in a once 17-year-old guy that I fell head over heels in
love with. As a then-15-year-old girl, I observed an event one day that gave me a glimpse into the future. As we sat chit-chatting in the family room of his parent’s home one afternoon, his mother entered the room with a basket of fresh laundry. She sat down on the sofa and proceeded to fold the clothes when Bobby immediately jumped up, sat down beside her, and began helping her. I was stunned.
Somehow, even at the tender age of 15, I knew in my heart of hearts that these admirable traits were so ingrained in Bobby’s character that they would remain for a lifetime. His generosity, his giving nature, and his awareness of the needs of others impressed me deeply. Okay, so I thought he was the cutest guy I’d ever seen ~ I still do ~ but beauty is only skin-deep. His inner qualities convinced me that he was a “keeper”. And keep him I did! Lucky me!
Whenever I have an attack of selfishness, I think about my thoughtful husband. When a friend is in crisis ~ large or small ~ I consider what Bobby would do to help. When I’m “inconvenienced” by another’s request, I’m mindful of my caring husband’s immediate response to those in need. 30-plus years later, I'm still living under the influence of a godly man living a godly life. My amazing husband never ceases to inspire me.
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"The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow