Fame

Not an Influencer

Not all of us want to be famous, but let’s be honest. We all want to be remembered for something, even if we’ll never be an “influencer.” After a recent gathering of writers, where one could hear book descriptions from every side, I thought about the people who made an everlasting impression on me.

Those I Love and am Loved By

First, I’m affected by the people whom I love and who love me. I am privileged to have a large and wonderful family: husband, children and in-law children, eight grandchildren, and parents. Friends, church family, work colleagues, and even casual acquaintances have also impacted me, whether for good or bad.

Servant-hearted People

But what about specifics: people who didn’t “have to” love or even be kind and got no credit for doing so? Four stand out, although I’m sure there are more.

Carol Springett

My husband and I had two children while he was in seminary, but we didn’t have a washing machine. We also couldn’t afford paper diapers. Enter Carol, the then-childless wife of another seminarian, who machine-washed and dried the diapers twice a week. I never forgot this amazing service.

Angela Jane Williams

On the first day I met this remarkable lady, who also happens to be my husband’s cousin, I left the room to deal with a crying toddler and returned to find her on her hands and knees scrubbing my floor. She scrubbed so hard that it never shone again! But it was clean. We soon became fast friends.

Dr. Bewtra

When I was working at Creighton University, the department decided to have lunch out. We had a great time, but nobody remembered to pay except Dr. Bewtra, who quietly picked up the check when we left the restaurant. The next day, I asked my fellow PhD student if she had paid, and she said she hadn’t. I knew I hadn’t either and said we probably needed to go back and pay our bill. The restaurant assured us that they had been paid. After some detective work, we discovered what Dr. Bewtra had done.

Jody Cooper

My sister, Jody, takes care of adults with disabilities. That means cooking, washing, helping dress, cutting toenails (yuck!), and sometimes feeding them. She’s been offered jobs in the company’s administration, but she turns them down. Why? Because she loves these people, who are often considered to be of little value.

None of these people are famous in the world’s terms. But I suspect that the Lord sees their service, and even though two of them are not yet believers, He is pleased.