Can Do (01/21/2025)

I remember my dad’s admiration of John F. Kennedy. I recall watching him take such an interest in politics in 1960 when Kennedy was running for president. And I recall his watching Kennedy’s inauguration. My dad especially liked Kennedy’s imperative, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” You see, my dad was always a “can do” kind of guy.

I hadn’t thought of it for a long time, but yesterday’s inauguration ceremonies and speeches brought back the memory. All of us kids learned Kennedy’s words and with them the sense of hope possible when we quit wringing our hands and instead roll up our sleeves, as my dad would say. My dad was one of those guys who prayed to the LORD with all his might but also gave all he had daily for love of his family, his friends, and even strangers.

My dad was a tither. I remember when he heard about tithing at church and realized he should do that. He promised to give 10% of his income annually to the church and charities. The first year he made that promise, the family underwent some real financial challenges, but dad never waived on his commitment. His “can do” was also his promise.

My older sister, Betty, caught the bug. She was a “can do” girl, for sure. She harnessed her penchant for encouraging and supporting others into cheerleading even though she wasn’t the most agile teen around. And when she saw a need for leadership at our high school, she ran for student council president with dad’s encouragement. And she won. She led us that year, my freshman year, as a student body. It was amazing to watch her draw others into the solutions.

Years later, when my little sister, Deidre, was visiting for the summer, she shared that she couldn’t do cursive. She had tried, but she was left-handed, and it just didn’t work. I empathized with her and told her there were so many things I felt challenged to do, but I learned to do them “my way.” “You can do this,” I assured her, “with a little adjustment.” And so that summer, while she visited with me, I taught her to write cursive. Her handwriting is beautiful to this day.

We all are called by our LORD into being and given a set of talents and a period of time to use them as part of our journey home. We have faith, we have hope, and we are fueled by the love of our LORD. Our lives and our world are not perfect, but rather than wring our hands, let us roll up our sleeves. We will not be able to do everything, but there is something all of us can do in the situation, in this world, amidst all of this need. It won’t be perfect because we’re not perfect. But what is possible if we are willing to open ourselves to the need, give thanks to the LORD for our specific gifts, turn them over to Him and ask for His grace and guidance to use them in service to Him and for love of one another? Imagine it. What is possible?

We can’t end world hunger individually, but we can contribute to the solution individually. We can’t eradicate loneliness in the world, but we can reach out to others, speak to them, learn their names, include them. What is possible if we all do as Christ commanded us – love one another as He has loved us? What is possible if we all realize what we can do if we do it in, with and through Christ daily?

Let us commit to being “Can do” people for Christ, rolling up our sleeves, volunteering to help when and where help is needed, being present to one another as the LORD is present to us.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.