Handy Man
I wouldn’t be much use in an auto body shop. That is definitely not my gift. But it is his. All day. Every day. I wonder if he ever gets tired of banging on metal. I know I would. Matter of fact, I was kind of shocked when he offered to come to House of the Harvest and hang fans after he got done with work today. But I will gladly take the help. He’s a handy man. And a good one.
He’s a small town guy. I like small town guys. You know the kind. From places like Lacey’s Spring, Alabama. The kind that grew up on a farm. They know how to do anything...and don’t mind doing anything...for anybody. They say things like, “Shoot, I don’t mind doing it at all. Just let me know when.”
Sure enough. Middle of May. Hot outside and hot inside. He says, “We gotta get those fans up!” And he makes good on his word...small town guys always make good on their word.
He knows how to work. He comes prepared. Not long into the job we are both hot, tired, and smell like a high school basketball locker room. But all he can talk about is how everyone will love those fans on Saturday morning.
He has a story. I love hearing people’s story. Raised by grandparents. Grandfather liked the bottle. Grandmother liked the church. He falls somewhere in between.
Tonight, we got to hang fans...talk about life...get to know each other a little better. We drill holes in the first fan, then the wall. Place the mount on the wall. I reach for the screws he brought. Tapcons. Expensive.
“Let me pay you for those screws. What were they...about $25?”
No reply.
“More than that?”
“What did I say?”
“Um...nothing.”
“That’s what I want you to give me. If I had that twenty bucks it would be gone and I wouldn’t know it anyway. I make enough and we got what we need.”
Good point. I wish America would adopt that philosophy...we got what we need.
We talk some more.
He tells me about taking care of his grandmother. And standing up for her when some others in his family were tired of taking care of her. He says, “Don’t it say something in the Bible about honoring your father and mother?”
Yes, I believe it does. I do believe it does.
Speaking of...I ask him, “Do you follow in your grandmother’s footsteps church-wise?”
“No. I ain’t never been much for church. Not sure why. I like coming here to House of the Harvest though. This is my church. Feeding the poor and stuff. I think Jesus would be at a place like this. Don’t you think?”
I am going to have to agree. Grandma may have liked her church, but it sounds like she also did a pretty good job teaching someone about Jesus.
We finally get done hanging those fans and start to make our way to the exit. As we leave he says, “By the way...keep them extra screws.”
You know what? That sounds a lot like something Jesus probably would have said too.
“He raises the poor from the dust. He lifts the needy from the ash heap.” Psalm 113:7