Losing Our Anchor People

Like many others, as I get older, I am experiencing more and more the loss of the Anchor people in my life. These are the people that have had a great impact on my life from my teens to today.  They are friends and acquaintances, family members, mentors, those who inspired me, people who have made a difference in my life, all who have believed in me.

The recent passing of a dear lady in my church has caused me to think about my anchor people once again. Her name is Maud and she was a devoted church member and an encourager of all sorts of us church members. She left no one out. When I first joined my church as a young adult, it was Maud who was assigned by the Pastor to teach the confirmation class I was to take. She taught us about our church history and our church doctrine in preparation for our confirmation as church members.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines anchor this way: “a heavy device that is attached to a boat or ship by a rope or chain and that is thrown into the water to hold the boat or ship in place: [also] a person or thing that provides strength and support.” Maud was always in the midst of things, but never intrusive. She went about quietly, but effectively nurturing those around her.

As I think about the loss of my anchor people, I wonder who will replace them. Then I realize that I am their replacement as are the generations after mine. A society without a perpetual group of anchor people is a society in trouble. The culture of that society is a victim along with its people.

As Christians we have a great anchor to help us in our lives. This help from God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ calls for our participation with Him as an anchor person for others. He can’t provide this in His children’s lives without all of our help.

In Hebrews 6:19-20 we hear that our hope in Christian living is our anchor: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,  where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

As we are challenged in our time to be anchors for others, we must be more and more like Jesus and allow Him to guide us in His work. Maud was certainly like Jesus in her interaction with others. This was her great strength in her lifetime personal anchor ministry to others. Fortunately, we have had a history of strong anchors in our church community.

Billie, our late church member and church secretary for 40 years, was an anchor for every church member. During her busy days in the church office, she would always stop what she was doing to listen to a visitor. No matter how long it took, she would give her time to the visitor, even though it meant her working late to finish her regular duties. She was especially good in keeping track of new folks in the church, conveying her warmth to them and blessing them as they made their decision to become a part of our community.

So, how are we doing in our anchoring for others? Can we keep the anchor chain from breaking? Is our seeking strength and guidance from the Lord a bit weak? Loving others no matter their afflictions or wretchedness is certainly a high hurdle to jump over, but as St. Paul says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

The “Good Samaritan” story in Luke 10 nudges us to be like the only fellow willing to help the robbed and beaten man in this parable of Jesus. The priest and the Levite passed him by, but the Samaritan not only stopped, but as the story goes: “He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.”