Joe's Struggle

Here comes Joe. He is hard to look at. The poor man cannot lift his head. Joe suffers from Parkinson’s disease, severe osteoporosis, eczema and cataracts. Joe shakes and drools. He cannot walk and he barely talks. Things were not always so tough for Joe. At one time he was a healthy working member of society. Over the years Joe’s heath has deteriorated to what it is today. What keeps Joe going? You would think that someone like Joe would just give up, stay in bed waiting to die. But Joe is a fighter. He fights to go to church every Sunday and worship God. It is the one thing he lives for. He claws his way into his wheelchair and after much struggle he finds his way to the exit to board the bus. He endures the harsh elements and the rough ride to get to church. Joe suffers the stares and rude comments of the people out in the public. He is oblivious to it. He does not care. He has one goal and one goal only and that is to get to church and worship God. Where does Joe get his strength? God is the answer. If you take time to listen to Joe he will tell you how great God is. He is not angry and has no bitterness toward God for his maladies. While we do not understand why God allows some diseases to strike some people and not others, I do know God is using Joe as an example of suffering and the love of God. No matter what our condition in life is we can look to God for strength and he will help us to carry on thru our trials in life. How insignificant my feeble problems are and how weak are my excuses for forgetting God. I pray that I will always have the strength and courage that Joe has when it is time to go to church and worship God. So when you see Joe, say a prayer for him and count your blessings. Pray that you do not face the burdens that Joe has. And if you take time to look and listen, Joe can change your life as he has mine.