one to one An Unusual Request     One to One is a regular feature of ONE Magazine. Written by Keith Burden, executive secretary of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, the column explores life, ministry...and grandkids!

I was determined to be a good pastor. My top priority was spending time with God and studying His Word. Seldom, if ever, did I go to the pulpit unprepared. In addition to my other pastoral duties, I regularly carved out time to visit the shut-ins and elderly in my congregation.

The church where I ministered had an unusually large number of these golden agers, and I devoted a few mornings each week to call on these folks in their homes. I will never forget one particular visit with an elderly member who was in poor health and unable to attend church services.

Joyce, another member of the congregation, greeted me at the door. She too had come to visit Martha, doing some light housework and preparing lunch for this precious saint. Later, I learned this humble, servant-hearted woman routinely performed this act of kindness in relative obscurity. Needless to say, I was impressed.

As the white-haired octogenarian ate lunch, I asked if she had a favorite verse of Scripture. After pausing to swallow her food and wipe the corners of her mouth, she replied, “I especially like the 46th Psalm.” She proceeded to quote the entire chapter from memory…word-perfect…all 11 verses!

We continued our conversation until she finished her meal when I told her I needed to be on my way; there were a few more calls I needed to make. In my customary manner I asked, “Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?” Without a moment’s hesitation Sister Martha said matter-of-factly, “Yes, you can wash my teeth.”

I stood there dumbfounded as she removed her dentures—lower and upper plates—and dropped them into my hand. Struggling to regain my composure, I walked over to the kitchen sink and proceeded to comply with her request. I remember thinking, “They never taught me this in college!”

When the task was finished, I dried the dentures and returned them to their owner. That awkward moment was further compounded when she laid the teeth aside and planted a big, toothless kiss on my cheek. I breathed a sigh of relief, offered a brief prayer, and excused myself. Thankfully, that has been a once and only experience for me!

As I recall that incident, I am reminded of the countless individuals who, like Joyce, go about serving others in anonymity. I salute the laymen and women who labor behind the scenes without recognition or applause. This has always been, and continues to be, the driving force behind our denomination.

That experience also forced me to take a long, hard look at my motivation for ministry. Do I really mean it when I ask, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Or is it just a polite gesture? Do I honestly want to serve my fellow man? Am I genuinely happy to do something as lowly as washing another person’s teeth?

Today, Sister Martha is in heaven. And me? Well, I’m in a lot better position to understand and appreciate what Jesus meant when He said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Keith Burden is the executive secretary of the National Association of Free Will Baptists. Email Keith at keith@nafwb.org. To learn more about the National Association of Free Will Baptists, visit www.nafwb.org.