Lunch with My Friend Steve

A couple weeks ago my friend Steve was coming through Nashville. I saw on his wife’s Instagram that they were on their way so I sent them a message asking if they wanted to get together. We met up for lunch (Nashville Hot Chicken!) and caught up on life a little bit. It had been several years since I’d seen Steve and his family. But I knew even just lunch with them would be valuable. We had had a number of valuable lunches before. 

Steve was a pastor at my church as I was growing up. For whatever reason, he kind of took me under his wing. And at a time when I really needed it. You see, when I was in junior high I had an accident that resulted in a pretty serious injury to my right eye. I’m blind in it now, but there was a time when a surgeon thought it was repairable. That meant surgery. Hospitals. Going under. A lot of things I wasn’t ready for. Being so young, I was very nervous. I tried to put on a brave face, but I’m sure it seemed a lot braver to me than to those looking at me. 

On the day before I was to have surgery and Steve called. He wanted to take me to lunch. We went to Godfathers Pizza. I have no recollection of the conversation that went on between us, but I know that after that meal I wasn’t concerned with the surgery. Steve did that. Just by showing up. 

I’ve looked up to Steve ever since. That was the first of many lunches. It became a regular thing after that. We’d have lunch or get slushies from sonic. And we’d talk. I remember having a lot of questions for Steve as I got older. Questions about theology, about work, about life. He was always willing to help me find an answer. 

I realized later on it wasn’t that I liked Steve because he always had the answers to my questions. He didn’t. I liked Steve because he didn’t shy away from helping me find the answers. 

Steve modeled an idea I’ve heard Pastor Andy Stanley talk about on a number of occasions: “Do for one what you wish you could do for all.”

Steve discipled me. He modeled Jesus for me. He showed up for me. He couldn’t do that for every person in the church, but he knew he could do it for at least one. I count myself lucky to be that one.

I think sometimes we overcomplicate ministry. A lot of ministry is just showing up for people. 

Who can you show up for this week?