Saint Henrietta

One of the great privileges of working in the church is getting to know everyday saints whose lives touch, surprise, and form you. Today I am reflecting on those who taught me through their example some aspect of discipleship. Those through whom I learned to pray more simply, to read the Bible for more than information, to choose people over achievement, to give time volunteering to assist others, and so much more. One of those people in my life was Henrietta.

In the late 1980s I pastored a small church in a shore community whose major employer was a yacht building company that made magnificent boats. Soon after a “luxury tax” came into effect people stopped buying these large boats, causing the yacht company to layoff large portions of their staff. The ripple effect of this was felt throughout the region. Soon there were families in our church struggling financially.

One Sunday morning one of those families came to me and told me how Henrietta had invited them to her home for dinner the night before. After a great meal and conversation, as they were saying goodbye, Henrietta told them that she had bought too much at the grocery store and asked if they would help her by taking some of it. When they agreed, she proceeded to give them bag after bag of groceries.

The next Sunday another family came to me and told me they had dinner at Henrietta’s trailer the night before. As they were saying goodbye, “you won’t believe what she did!” They too came home with bags of groceries for the week ahead. “Now we know why she asked us so many questions about what the kids liked. She’d bought it all.”

Soon, members of the congregation came to me concerned that Henrietta didn’t have enough to be giving away so much. They asked if I would talk to her.

Henrietta was a widow probably in her 70s, retired, living off social security, a small pension from her deceased husband. She was not rich by anyone’s standards. Her home was a modest trailer in the local trailer park.

She shared with me how God had placed this burden on her heart for those who were struggling, especially the young families in our church. She wanted to do something. She was blessed with more than enough, and she felt called to share. Henrietta taught me a phrase that day I had never heard before (I have since found out is very well-known to others): “But for the grace of God, there go I.”

Her biggest concern was not whether she could help, but how she should help without insulting the families on her heart. So she came up with this dinner idea where she would play the “silly old lady” whom they could help by taking these groceries off her hands. Brilliant!

Henrietta’s theology grew out of a knowledge of God’s abundance. She wasn’t looking at what she didn’t have, but what she did, and that there was enough to share. Through her example I learned the spiritual practice of giving – of your time, yourself, and your stuff – to those around you in need.

You probably have those people in your life as well, those who enriched your spiritual life through their example. I encourage you to join me today in reflecting upon them. Give God thanks for those He has placed in your life, who have helped you along The Way, from whom you have learned something about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. And maybe, just maybe, you could pray a prayer asking that you could be that person for someone else.

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