I’m going to tell you a story about Melvin Pickens. He was a black man in his 70s living in Little Rock. He was born almost blind. His mother died when he was born, and he never knew his dad, so he was raised by his grandmother. Melvin spent his days walking the streets selling straw brooms, which he had done to put his two of his kids through college. He had been married to his wife, who was completely blind, for 45 years. They had five children, but two of them died. If anyone was counting, they would say Melvin had had his share of hardships. Someone might look at Melvin’s and feel sorry for the difficult life he had been dealt.
But not Melvin. He would duck into a cafe to get out of the rain and greet the customers in line with a smile. On the cold, windy morning he was being interviewed, he said, “It’s a blessing to get a hot breakfast on a cold morning, isn’t it.” He boldly shared that he was a Christian and that he loved Jesus. He said, “Jesus has been good to me. I owe everything I have and am to him. I am a thankful man.” He shared that his wife was the first black woman to get a music degree from the university. “The Lord has always given us work,” he said. Before his wife retired, she taught music to handicapped children. “I can’t see much, but I don’t feel handicapped because the Lord helps me do whatever I need to do.”
Melvin had a unique perspective about his purpose. He said, “I’ve been happy in life because I made up my mind when I was a very young man that I wanted to help people. Life’s not about what somebody will do for you. It’s all about what you can do for somebody else. I love God and I love people.” When asked how he could help people, he shared that each day he said a prayer asking God to send somebody to him that needed his help. Then, he would watch and see who would come his way. He said, “Even a smile or a kind word helps people in this rough old world. I feel like I’m successful in life because God always sends people I can help.”
Melvin went on to say, “I don’t worry and I’m not afraid of anything. I have peace of mind. I’m grateful for whatever God does. If I sell one broom, I’m thankful. If I sell ten brooms, I’m thankful. God has shown me that my family will always have everything we need.”
At the age of 84, Melvin died. His story was shared on a segment of CBS’s On the Road with Steve Hartman.
What are you counting?
Melvin is a good example of someone who was thankful and counted his blessings. It’s easy to count all of the challenges of life, if that’s what we are focused on. We often find what we are looking for and what we focus on grows!
When we focus on our blessings and gratitude, we see things we might have missed otherwise. Psalm 23:6 says,
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life
This is an important truth of which to be reminded. There is goodness and mercy available to us all the days of our lives. It’s all about the perspective we have and whether we are counting the goodness and mercy in our lives.
What are you counting?
This message is not new or revolutionary. However, it is a good reminder.
- counting your blessings
- look for the good
- choose gratitude over grumbling
I challenge each of us to be conscious of what we are keeping track of. Notice what your mind is focused on. And if you find yourself counting the negative and focusing on the misery, I would encourage you with a couple of simple prayers:
- The first is a prayer from A Course in Miracles: Above all else, I want to see differently.
- The second is a prayer of honesty and willingness: I don’t see goodness or mercy right now. I may not feel grateful, but I am willing to count my blessings and be thankful.