On my dresser sits a ceramic green and brown breadfruit. For my non- Jamaican readers, a breadfruit is a round green fruit larger than grapefruit but not quite the size of a whole pineapple. It has a bread like texture that can be roasted, baked, boiled, fried, or dried and ground into flour. This piece of art prominently placed on my dresser was given to me by a person I did not know deeply but whose kindness managed to light up my heart in a very dark time. She was an encourager who gave herself fully to whatever she committed herself to. I could tell as we danced and travelled together, that her passion was for helping others. She passed yesterday, but, I have no doubts about where her soul is resting and how pleased God must be to welcome her home. Holly-Rose’s life was well lived, and I didn’t need proximity to know that. She shone brightly.
So, with everything that strikes my heart deeply I ask the Lord what lesson I should learn from this experience. I can think of a few things. First, be a giver, not for your own glory but out of gratitude for God’s many gifts to you. You never know how deep an impact, even something small, given at a Kairos – divine /just the right – moment sends ripples through eternity. I remember how Holly contributed to purchasing school supplies for my sons shortly after Christopher died. It was one of the ways God showed me He hadn’t forgotten me and that He still going to provide. To this day when I struggle with “what if”, that testimony is among the ones I use to encourage my soul to believe God will handle it. You know what the best part was? She never bragged about it. Her generosity was known by those who experienced it. FULL STOP.
Second Lesson: people don’t need to be up close and personal for you to have impact. A light shone brightly illuminates any room. People will see your good works and glorify God. As I said Holly and I ministered together, travelled together but we were never close enough for me to know her personal life intimately. Yet I remember her generosity, I observed her faithfulness and I sensed genuine joy from her when we interacted. I was challenged by it, and I grew from it. You don’t need a platform with a large audience to have eternal significance.
Lesson three is more of a reminder. I believe I wrote this quote on my WhatsApp status circa 2016 and I never changed it: “If you only had today, what would you do with it?” I wrote that as I pondered the brevity of the breath we take for granted. Absolutely no one knows for sure the date they transition to the other side of eternity. We are not guaranteed another moment, so we remain grateful for each one. This year, within my small sphere I’ve heard of the passing of the old, the young, the sick and the seemingly healthy. In none of the cases was it expected. We are transient passengers on life’s flight. We don’t know when it is our turn to disembark. So as the cliché goes make the most of today because tomorrow is not promised.
I leave this bit of scripture with you. Read it slowly and meditate on it: Now, because of your obedience to the truth, you have purified your very souls, and this empowers you to be full of love for your fellow believers. So, express this sincere love toward one another passionately and with a pure heart. For through the eternal and living Word of God you have been born again. And this “seed” that he planted within you can never be destroyed but will live and grow inside of you forever. For: Human beings are frail and temporary, like grass, and the glory of man fleeting like blossoms of the field. The grass dries and withers and the flowers fall off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever! And this is the Word that was announced to you! 1 Peter 1: 22 – 25
Write Fully Yours,
Lady Kavan