Emma died the other day
Some righteous people have a cold and wintry way with them; little kids don't play around their doors, the needy don't call on them and the strugglers with life don't have the nerve to ask for understanding from them. They're upright, don't you understand, and it's a fine thing to see; but they haven't been able to add warmth to that righteousness and there are enough of them around that a little girl felt the need to pray, asking God to "make all the bad people good and all the good people nice."
Not all the righteous are like that; some are like the shadow of a massive rock in a burning desert and like a stream in a dry and barren land; reliable and at peace; the fevered and high-strung are refreshed just by being in their presence. There are those of us who lose our way in life in the struggle to be good and we'd give up on the effort altogether except that now and then we meet someone who makes us believe that goodness is possible and that it's worth pursuing. People like that are sometimes called "Emma".
Emma Maloney died a couple of days ago, a few days after a major stroke, gently and quietly, the way she lived her sometimes tough but happy life. Maybe I've met a woman with a sweeter spirit but I don't know when or where.
In the middle of hard times, many years ago, in trust-filled faith she was immersed into union with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and she never looked back.
When we go looking for her, we'll know where to find her.
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.