*Warning - some disturbing content* I have known a fair number of sweet old ladies in my day.
You know the type (maybe you are the type!): they always bring a cake to church socials, look put together, wear bright colors, and typically have pets they are a little too attached to. When I first met “Barbara,” she pretty much fit the bill. If it weren’t for the fact of her living in the undesirable apartment building where we offer Bible study, I would have assumed she was just like all the other sweet old ladies with Bible verses half-memorized from the King James Bible and pictures of the Good Shepherd on the fridge. But it seems that everybody in the building has a story, and Barbara’s came out over time.
As we worked through Isaiah’s “Book of Consolation” (Chapters 40-66), we came upon the famous “Servant Song” in Isaiah 42: “A bruised reed he will not break.” I invited the group to pause and pray about the “bruised” parts of their own lives. How did Jesus look at their bruises? What did they want to say to Him? Did He want to say anything to them? One member of the group timidly shared in somewhat guarded phrases about a hurt in his past. Then Barbara stunned us by revealing a horrific incident that happened to her some 40 years ago.
In her sweet, high voice, she said, “When my youngest was just over a year old, my husband was drunk; he beat me so badly that I was in the hospital for weeks, and he killed our baby. It nearly broke me, having that happen. But when I was in the hospital, God was with me there, and since then, I have always had God. It was the worst thing that could have happened. But I am so grateful to know now that God is always with me.”
That was it. No fanfare, no drama, no self-pity. Just a story, and a heart able to be grateful through it all.
Barbara is a vital member of our Bible study. She brings treats to share, listens attentively, contributes to the conversation, and asks prayers for her aches and pains, lost cat, and impending surgeries. She carries in her heart the memory of a baby who died, a hospital stay, and the sure knowledge of a God who is always with her. May we all have a share of Barbara’s faith, hope, and love. And may we all know the gentle hand of the Jesus who does not break the bruised reed.
- Sr. Agnes Therese Davis, T.O.R.
