West Cocoa Chat

For the past few “Thursdays,” I’ve settled down into a routine of having breakfast with (as my wife calls them) “the boys.” The “boys” consist of a former “Sgt. Major of the Army,” a retired manager of a Defense Contractor, and a recently retired manager from NASA. “The boys” eat breakfast on Thursday mornings and then go to our church to cut the lawn and take care of the grounds of our facility. The “Boys” have 2 additional friends, one is a retired insurance agent and the other is a retired officer from the U.S. Coast Guard. I now look forward to Thursday mornings for I enjoy the banter, the discussion, and the wisdom passed back and forth by these men of my father’s generation.

Today at breakfast I was reminded of the “4 friends” from Mark 2. Here are the verses that came to mind:

2:1 And when He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home.2:2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.2:3 And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men.2:4 And being unable to get 20 to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above 21 Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.2:5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "My son, 22 your sins are forgiven."

You see, 4 of these “boys” have been taking care of one of our members who needs help. “John” (I’ll call him) served our nation during the Vietnam War. John was wounded in a fire fight while in Vietnam. John still has the metal ammo belt, hole and all. It stopped some of the bullet that was meant for him and saved his life. John was also sprayed by “Agent Orange” (a de-foliate) which was used to clear the Jungle. Like so many of the Vets of that war, all John wanted to do was to get home and “forget” about the war. John came home with some psychological problems brought on by the effects of Agent Orange as well as the trauma he went through.

To sum it all up, his flight from the war cost him the “Purple Heart” that he earned as well as benefits and medical care which the Veterans Administration offers. John has gone years without the benefits and care that he deserved, that is, until he met “4 friends” from our church, the “boys.”

One of the “boys” went over to John’s trailer and helped him straighten out his financial situation as well as the various medications he was taking following heart by-pass surgery. Another one of the “boys” used his expertise with insurance matters to see what kind of relief John could get concerning his various prescriptions, some costing almost $5 a pill.

Another “boy” helped John fill out the various forms required to receive “Veteran benefits.” And still another one of the “boys” took John on his visits to a Veterans’ Hospital using his influence to “push” John through the system.

Four friends making a difference in a brother’s life. They didn’t cut away a roof but the “red tape” they did cut through probably saved John’s life. Oh, did I mention that all these “boys” are in the same Life Group at our church.

Here’s to 4 friends who in the name of Jesus are making a difference in the life of a truly “weaker” brother.