Page 65 of Echoes of Eternity

Quiet, the town waited for him to continue.

“My father, according to this letter, struggled with what was the right thing to do. He didn’t want to mess up the life and family he had because of the child, so he helped financially instead. Was it the right thing to do? To not give that little girl a father?” Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. That was a matter between him and God, not for me to decide. And I have spent my months here in Cedarwood Creek in agony at the thought of everyone here finding out. Why? Because I don’t want my father to be remembered for this.” Ryan wiped more tears. “I want him to be remembered for all the good he did. All the love he showed every person in this room, including myself.”

Looking at the crumpled speech on the floor, he walked over and picked it up and laid it out on the podium in front of him. “I won’t read the speech, but I do want to share a Bible verse with you. Proverbs 17:9 states, ‘Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.’ ” Ryan folded the speech up and placed it in his back pocket.

He looked again across the sea of familiar faces. “There’s plenty of Bible verses about gossip and slander. Most of you know them all. But this one stood out to me because it mentions the word love.”

Again, Ryan paused and wiped his eyes. “I want you all to think about that word. Love. Think of the love that was poured out on the Cross for each one of us. Think about how much wrong we’ve done in our own lives and how much God has forgiven us, over and over again.”

Letting the words sit for a moment, he scanned the crowd. “I believe that this community is about love. The love of God and the love of others, just as Jesus Christ instructed us. Now, if you want me to leave and never come back . . .” He dropped his hands onto the podium and shrugged. “I will gladly do that. Because I don’t want to live in a town that cares that deeply about others’ failings. If, though, you choose love and choose to forgive my father for whatever wrong you felt he did to you, I’ll stay. My hope and my prayer is that Cedarwood Creek goes back to what it once was instead of what it has become. Thank you.”

Stepping down from the podium, Ryan walked through the silent crowd and promptly left the hardware store.

Arriving at the women’s Bible study that evening, Emily told her boys to behave as they joined the other kids to go play. Taking a seat in the living room with the ten or so other ladies, she pulled her Bible and markers out and onto her lap.

“Okay, ladies. For you new faces, I’m Joyce and I want to welcome you. Let’s go around the room and get to know our new ladies.”

A young woman who appeared to be in her twenties stood up with tears running down her cheeks. Emily’s heart broke immediately for her.

“Hi, I’m Brittany. I have four kids, my husband is in prison, and I’m not sure how I’m going to make it even the next week.” Laughing through the tears, she shook her head. “I can’t believe Joyce even invited me tonight. I mean, my life is a wreck, and she was so kind to me. I appreciate it so much. I’m just glad to be here.”

Emily touched her chest as she tilted her head. Empathy radiated through her heart, wishing she could do something for the woman. A few more ladies spoke, then it was Emily’s turn.

“I’m new. My name is Emily, and I have three kids. Two of them are here tonight. Glad to be here.”

Short and to the point, Emily sat back down. Her eyes and heart kept gravitating toward Brittany.

Joyce opened the study in prayer, lifting up their time together and praying for a few requests that were mentioned in introductions.

That evening, the group would be studying the parable of Jesus about the unforgiving servant. “Before we get started, I wanted us to read the opening conversation that leads to the parable we’ll be reading. This conversation is between Peter and Jesus. Matthew 18:21-22 says, ‘Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”

Emily adjusted in her seat as she felt conviction from God. Had she given up too quickly on Ryan?

Brittany was weeping, and Joyce stopped the conversation to direct their attention to their sister in need.

“Hey, Brittany. You okay?”

Biting her lip, she shook her head as she composed herself. “I just can’t believe we’re talking about this tonight.”

“Do you want to share more?” Joyce inquired gently.

“My father is a . . . jerk. Let’s go with that name.” She laughed as she shook her head and wiped her eyes. “The truth is . . . I’m pregnant. This is my fifth baby. When my dad found out I was pregnant, he kicked me and my kids out of his house. Now we’re at the homeless shelter over off Yancy Street.”

“I’m so sorry.” Joyce shook her head.

“It’s okay. The good news is we are moving into an apartment this coming week.” She nodded, appearing to force a smile.

“Wow.” Joyce smiled.

Another lady added, “That’s awesome.”

“Yeah.” Smiling, she nodded. “The church has been so helpful and loving to me. Whatever resource I need, they have supplied information. I never knew the love of God until I walked in those doors.”

“God often shows His love to us through others.” Joyce smiled. “I was in a similar situation to you when I was younger, and it was God’s people who showed me His goodness and love. It was through the acts of others that we often experience God in radical ways. Sometimes, without even knowing it. God’s influence in our lives is often a quiet whisper or a gentle nudge to do something, to act in love.”

Emily thought for a moment of Ryan and his insistent need to help Linda and Tiffany. Could God be using him to accomplish something she had no idea about?

She had to ask the group. “How do we know if it’s God, though, and not just something we want to do?”

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