Today's Thought - Mr. Weir’s death

Saturday 25 August, 2007 home | respond | prayer | pastoral | archive

Mr. Weir’s death

When I was very young working in a large office building, I was about to be transferred to a new department to work under a new boss. Several young women came to me saying, "I feel so sorry for you, Mr. Weir is a tyrant."

As the transfer date approached, others came to me with many unkind words about this older looking, frail man. Trepidation grew in my mind!

Then the day for my transfer finally arrived. I greeted my new boss with a nervous handshake and thus began our working relationship. I found him to be somewhat intolerant, curt at times, demanding, but I handled it pretty well.

Three weeks in, I walked into the office and Mr. Weir wasn't at his desk. Normally, he arrived early, anxious to distribute work for those in his department, grumbling about how we needed to improve our work habits.

An hour passed and Mr. Weir still hadn't arrived. Soon the company’s vice president walked into the office. "I have some sad news - Mr. Weir died on Sunday. He has been terminally ill for the past seven months,” he informed. “You'll be getting a new boss soon." We were stunned.

That evening, I couldn’t stop thinking about Mr. Weir’s pain, and how courageous he was to keep working. He never mentioned his illness to anyone. "No wonder he was grouchy," I told my co-workers the next day.

Mr. Weir’s impact is still with me today!

I believe what God wants for us is to love people rather than judge them. You never know the difference you can make!