MUTUAL LOVE SERIES – “the needs of the holy ones” (08/17/2025)

Yesterday morning, as I sitting on the porch journaling, I detected some motion with my peripheral vision. I looked up and there was a mob of turkeys led by a large tom. Following behind were two females and 13 youngsters trying to keep up. Then I noticed a female lagging behind. At first, I thought she was the defensive rear guard, but then I noticed something around her feet that I couldn’t identify. Finally, I realized that she was accompanying and encouraging a very small youngster. While the youngsters in the mob of turkeys were the size of small hens, this youngster wasn’t much larger than a puffed-up robin.

I put my pen down and continued to watch for some time. The female in the rear kept pace with the small youngster. She teetered between encouraging him on and waiting for him to catch up. All the while she was tending. As I watched this display of wildlife from my porch, I was reminded of the line from Paul’s list of duties of disciples in Romans 12:13 that I wanted to focus on this morning: “Contribute to the needs of the holy ones.” And I wondered what our human world would look like if we were all as patient and caring with one another as that female turkey was with the runt.

I thought of a family in our parish with seven children between the ages of 12 and 2. As we sit in church, the two older children help tend to the needs of their younger siblings so lovingly and patiently. Every time I observe them, I am both amazed and tenderized. I am reminded that we are called to love one another in this way, tending to the needs of one another in the moment.

I thought of a man I know from our parish whose main volunteer efforts revolve around special Olympics. He goes out of his way to spend time, to coach, to encourage, to affirm the members of the Special Olympics teams. I’ve never asked him how he came to be so involved in this ministry to others, I guess I always have assumed he saw a real need and wanted to help others along the way.

And before I knew it, my mind was flitting like a butterfly at bloom time from one memory to another of individuals I have seen recognize the needs of another in a moment and stopped to tend to the individual as well as the need. In those memories, it was never just about “getting it done,” the “helper” was always aware of and caring for another. And I thought to myself, that’s the way it is supposed to be.

But in our world today, unfortunately, we all know, that isn’t always the way things play out. But Paul points to our relationship with Christ and His example and encourages us in his letter on the duties of discipleship to not lose sight of the needs of those around us who are also on the journey. Christ calls us to make the journey, following in His footsteps, but he also calls us to bring others with us. And so, Paul urges us to consider the needs of those around us as we make the journey.

As I was reflecting on all this on the porch, the needs I see in our world are vast: food for the hungry, companionship for the lonely, encouragement for the downtrodden, physical help for those who are ill or whose mobility is limited. The list is quite long. There are a multitude of ways that we can address “the needs of the holy ones.” But first we have to notice “the holy ones.”

And I thought of the female turkey and the runt. She noticed. She recognized the runts need. She stayed with the runt. She encouraged, she tended, she accompanied. Can’t the LORD expect us to do the same for one another?

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.