Untitled Sermon

love

When I checked my voicemail on Thursday I never expected to hear someone tell me that Donna Herrington had passed away and Ms. Anne wanted me to do the service. I was stunned and left in silence. I wondered what happened. I immediately thought of Ms. Anne and I prayed for her and the family. Once my shock wore off I started to think about the Donna Herrington that I knew.

Matthew 19:13–15 NIV

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

In all of my coming and going through the Day School I never saw her upset or frazzled. She always had the same calm demeanor. I saw her and Ms. Anne there together, two mother hens with their chicks. Day after day, year after year, consistently showing up for their students, consistently loving their students. Its easy to say that teachers love their students but Donna was the true embodiment of that love. When we hear the author of Corinthians talk about love its easy to see Donna embodying that.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NIV

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Love is patient and kind —> As anyone who has been around children especially 4 year olds for any period of time knows you don’t devote 20 years of your life to teaching them without patience and kindness at the core of who you are.

Love does not boast, it is not arrogant or rude. Ms. Anne and Jerry told us on Friday when we were meeting about Donna’s needle point and cross stitch work. Beautiful work that she would give away as gifts. Work that she did in the background, in her room, not flashy, or self seeking but done for the joy of others and not her own gratification. Work done in love despite the pain of her rheumatoid arthritis.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

That is the hope that we have today