Marcus Redding Passes Notes in Church

Everyone filed back into the auditorium after Wednesday evening classes were over. The services always finished with one of the deacons reading a list of announcements before they had one last song and prayer. Marcus was half paying attention through most of it: a workday on Saturday at the church building to do some spring cleaning, one lady’s cousin was going in for a biopsy on a tumor, one of the teenagers was looking for some help with an Eagle Scout project, a truck from the children’s home would be stopping by this week to pick up winter clothes.

Marcus let his mind drift to the Winter Olympics until he felt Lauren squeeze his hand. He looked over at her. She pointed with her eyes to the front of the auditorium as if to say, “Pay attention.” The deacon was explaining that Evelyn Smith needed a ride to and from a doctor’s appointment on Friday. Marcus looked back at Lauren with a puzzled expression as if to say, “What about it?” Lauren leaned over and whispered, “What are you doing on Friday?” Marcus leaned over and whispered back, “I can’t. I’m looking for a job.”

Lauren grabbed a little pencil from in front of her and rifled through her Bible to find a stray sheet of paper. She scribbled something and passed it to Marcus. It was a scripture reference. One that he knew without looking it up: James 1:27.

The announcements continued. Marcus picked up his own little pencil and wrote his own scripture reference right under Lauren’s: 2 Thessalonians 3:10. She knew that one. So she smiled and wrote a few words under Marcus’s scripture reference, “but you are willing to work.” She underlined the word “you” one time and the word “willing” three times. Marcus sighed. He couldn’t argue with that.

After the last prayer Marcus spoke to the deacon who gave announcements and said he would give Evelyn a ride on Friday. He tried to appear happy, but it was hard.

Marcus went into the church office to get a directory to look up Evelyn’s number. He stepped outside to call her on his cell phone. When Evelyn answered she was coughing and Marcus had to speak loudly and repeat himself three times until she understood who he was and why he was calling. After a few minutes he figured out her appointment was at 11:30 a.m. at the Olympic Plaza. She didn’t know when she’d be done. Marcus was thinking, “Great, right in the middle of the day. This day is lost.”

Marcus got directions to her house. “Don’t be late,” she told him, “I’m never late.” Marcus just said, “Yes, ma’am.” Evelyn went on, “And do you do plumbing? I’ve got a leaky faucet and I don’t want to pay a guy to come out. The last time I called the plumber he was here for 15 minutes and he charged $700. Can you imagine that? Seven…hundred…dollars! I told him what I thought about that. I told him he could…”

Marcus interrupted, “Yes ma’am, I can fix your faucet. I’ll look at it after we get back from your appointment.”

Evelyn wasn’t done, “Now remember, be there at 10:00 so we can get there early. And make sure your car is clean.” She had more to say. All Marcus could say was, “Yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am.” By the end of their conversation Evelyn didn’t sound any happier than at the beginning. And Marcus wasn’t either.

When he finally got off the phone and stepped back inside, Marcus’s dad and Lauren a few others thanked him for volunteering. Lauren squeezed his hand and said, “I’m proud of you.”

Marcus knew he was doing the right thing, but he wondered what he was getting himself into.

More about Marcus Redding’s journey of faith next week.