Common

What do an engineer, a programmer, a financial advisor, a single mom with polio and two daughters, a fifth grade teacher and her banana broker husband all have in common? ---- Steve.

Katrina did a lot of damage to the houses of the single mom and the teacher and banana guy. The single mom’s floor was ruined and the teacher/banana guy lost a ceiling. The engineer/programmer/financial guy (professionals) knew next-to-nothing about floors and ceilings - enough to walk on one and under the other. So what does all this have in common? ---- Steve.

Steve?

Twenty-five years old now, when Steve was fifteen, his dad died. He stopped school and went to work wherever and on whatever. Work ethic, quick mind, good hands, “calibrated eyeball” - these are descriptors of Steve. When a family in the church in Charlotte “adopted” him, he learned to love Jesus and became “adopted” by Jesus’ Dad.

So what’s common? The Charlotte church hired Steve to come to Long Beach for six weeks and work on people’s houses. He has been there about eight weeks. Lately, he has been on his own time. People need what he can do. What can Steve do? If it is in or about a house, he can fix it.

Steve taught his rookie crew of three professionals enough so that a single mom with polio and two daughters has a new floor and a big smile. Steve and the rookies hung a new ceiling for the teacher and her banana guy husband and left them well pleased. Jesus’ light shined in both houses.

What’s “common“ about this? Nothing! Jesus’ brother, God’s adopted son, Steve, is not common nor is what he and the rookies did. It is “un-common.” It is never “common” when Jesus’ light shines --- ever!