Every Sunday, Bob and Alice walk hand in hand to our church’s café counter to buy a single donut. Bob is 92. Alice is 87. They have been longtime members of our congregation.
Recently, they were asked to share their faith journeys at a church event. Bob’s eyes twinkled as he expounded: “When we were first married, Alice and I held hands because we were so in love that we couldn’t let go of each other. Later in our marriage, we held hands because if I let go, she’d go shopping. Now we hold hands because if we don’t, one of us will fall down.”
Obviously, his story got a big laugh, but it resonated on a spiritual level as well. King Solomon encouraged: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9,10).
Solomon’s words not only point to the value of being married; they also reinforce the importance of Christian community. Married or not, believers in Christ are to hold one another’s spiritual hands as they continue on their faith journeys. Congregation members can pay particular attention to those who are single or widowed, making sure they do not fall with “no one to help them up.”
Bob and Alice’s story is a testament to their love and to their commitment to walking hand in hand with God. May we learn from their example.
