I sauntered into the office of a friend, both for the purpose of transacting some business and to take a brief respite from a busy and sweltering day’s activities. He was an interesting man, the owner of a popular local music store.  His clientele ranged from the aspiring country and Western hopefuls to the sedate concert musicians who often had more the look of wall street brokers than of violinists, flatists, or percussionists.  He was Director of the local symphony orchestra, and himself an accomplished violinist (I delighted in calling him a “fiddle player”), a good business man, and, though not a Christian, an avowed moralist.  I liked and respected him.

 

As we visited about the business proposition I had made, his phone rang.  Politely, and with the charm I had come so to admire, he excused himself and turned to the credenza behind his desk.  With the verse of an Arthus Fiedler, he made a quick brush-back of a wisp of greying hair on his forehead and identified himself to the caller.  I excused myself in order to allow him the privacy of his office.

 

As I walked out into the hall from his office, I noticed a bulletin board, neatly arranged with a variety of memos to employees–work schedules, a couple of music-related cartoons, and a potpourri of other items.  One item caught my eye almost at once.  It was a tattered and once-folded-into-fourths piece of paper with some faded typing on it.  The typing was not well-centered on the page, nor where the margins justified.  There were a couple of strike-overs, indicating a “lazy K” on the right hand of whomever typed the message.  It had no title, nor was any credit given as to its authorship.  But it certainly had a message.

 

“The stature of a man is measured by his friendliness and courtesy for someone who can do absolutely nothing for him.”

 

I stood and mused at the brilliant statement.  “It is so true,” I thought, “and so biblical.” a real man is not measured by the amount of wealth had has amassed, nor is he known for the number of degrees he can append to his signature.  History gives ample testimony after the fact.  It is not the Alexander the Greats, the Pharaohs, the Hitlers who have shaped the character of mankind, although their’s may be said by some to be important contributions.  Consider the real heros: the inventors of good things, the educators, the artists who have graphed their times, the health providers, those who have given help in other ways–nameless heros, they are.  Most of their names are not very recognizable, either.  But the contributions of these great fellows will remain, because the have touched the harts and lives of all of us.  And what did they expect for their services?  Nothing.

 

But there was a greater!  Jesus was by far the greatest example of selfless love ever seen on the stage of human events.  Why?  Simple.  He was friend to all–no matter from whence they had come, or what they had done.   He was the most courteous man who ever drew breath, the most giving, the most kind and benevolent.  And His works were done for those "who could do absolutely nothing for him.”

 

In Philippians 2:5-7, we are told the story of His great and loving care for mankind.  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross. Yes, a man is to be considered truly great who is willing to manifest a benevolent spirit to those who can do nothing to repay his kindness and love. Never did one do so much for so many who could not deserve it nor repay His loving grace.  Praise God for His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself willingly!

 

Even a non-believer, who had little or no real knowledge of God’s word, nor of His Son’s gifts of grace, and who is busily engaged in commerce and the demands which accompany it, can see that the stature of a man is measured by his friendliness and courtesy for one who can do absolutely nothing for Him.