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the basis that I was Sister Burdette’s clergyman. When I arrived at her
room her family members, who had been with her during the day, had
all gone home. I found Sister Burdette awake. She was delighted with
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her because I realized that she had to be terribly tired from having had a
major operation that day. So what’s so exceptional about this story? The
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and died. Had I waited to go see her the following night, it would have
been too late. I hope my visit was a comfort to Bessie and it has been a
lesson to me. If you see a need for an act of kindness – do it. Tomorrow
may be too late!

In one way my parents, especially my mother, misled me as
a boy. They created in my mind the idea that one’s accomplishments
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has taught me that it can be unfair. I have seen men accomplish out-
standing things and have their accomplishments virtually ignored while
some others attain high recognition without really having accomplished
very much. It seems to me that one should proceed in life as though they
would be rewarded for their accomplishments, but it is foolish to as-
sume that this will always be the case. I have been fortunate, but I have
seen others receive very little reward in any form.

The Bible reports that, “God causes the rain to fall upon the just
and the unjust.” This is a more accurate picture of life. God has allowed
wickedness to exist in this world so that we can all be tested and grow
from the experience. Unfortunately, in that testing some admirable hu-
man beings receive a less than fair reward while here on Earth.
It seems to me that our approach in life must include the pos-
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that good generally triumphs and that a just God will ensure blessings
in the next life to those who were denied it in this life. We should be ac-
tively engaged in seeking to have truth and righteousness prevail and be
rewarded, not just to ourselves, but to all people. Edmund Burke sum-
marized it well when he said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph
in the world is for good men to do nothing.”

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