The One

👦🏻
Coleman serves in our church meetings by providing the sacrament in the form of bread and water passed to each individual.

There is a system for this.
Sections of the chapel where each passer will go.
People they are in charge of offering it to.

Coleman is pretty serious about his job.
He leaves for church 15 minutes early so he can show up and get the needed instructions of who is passing to each area.
Plans must be made and he is there to be a part of them.

Until a few weeks ago.
When he slept in later than usual.
When he rushed around getting ready but left for church way past his normal “15 minutes early.”
When he arrived one minute before the meeting started and was told that they had it covered. He didn’t need to pass today.

He sat with me in the pew and fought back tears.
He didn’t like that he wasn’t there on time.
He didn’t like that he missed his chance to serve.
I put my arm around him and told him, “I’m so glad it’s important to you that you fulfill your responsibilities.”
Some tears filed his eyes and fogged up his glasses.

A few minutes later I got a text notification on my watch.
I tipped my wrist to look at it.
Coleman’s adult leader, Jaren, was sitting up at the front of the room. He texted, “If you get this, change of plans. We will have Coleman help us out with the sacrament in the back section. Thank you!”

I nodded to Jaren and showed Coleman the text.
He passed the sacrament that day.
Honestly, he kind of got in the way a little bit as he added to their already full staff.

They had enough help before Coleman arrived.
Coleman could have just helped next week and the week after and the week after.
There are lots of future chances.
But that wasn’t the point.

Coleman’s leader looked up and saw a young man filled with disappointment because he didn’t get himself to church on time to do his job.

And then he figured out how to let him serve.
He noticed The One.
The one boy on the back row who needed something.
The one boy who was beating himself up a little.
The one boy who wanted to serve but didn’t plan enough time that morning.

Jaren looked up.
And noticed The One.
Then did something to help him.💙✊🏻