A WORD FOR TODAY, March 26, 2026
Peggy Hoppes
We pray you have been blessed by this daily devotion.
Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, March 26, 2026
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. ‘Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.’” Luke 6:32-36, WEB
The last time San Antonio was out of drought conditions was in June 2021. Nearly five years later, we are in extreme drought, with locations nearby in exceptional drought. We desperately need water to fall from the sky. Some of the early reports for April show hope, although I read somewhere it will take twenty-six inches of rain in three months to break the drought. It is possible, but that much rain in such a short period of time will create other problems.
I always look forward to this time of year because of the Texas wildflowers. I usually go on several day trips around the area, searching for bluebonnets and other fields to photograph. I’ve seen some photos posted of beautiful fields, but the drought has made them few and far between. I’ve decided it isn’t worth trying this year. The hope I have is that if we get drought busting rain this summer, then the bloom next year will be spectacular. That’s how it happens here in Texas: we have years of drought, plentiful rainfall, and then an amazing year of wildflowers. Perhaps 2027 will be that year.
I am headed in the direction of one of my favorite wildflower spots next week on an adventure with a friend. It is a cemetery that is covered in wildflowers. The caretakers allow the flowers to burst forth for the season and then trim the grounds when the flowers have gone to seed. Unfortunately, the flowers have been sparse the last few years, and I expect it won’t be much different next week.
I was hesitant the first time I visited that cemetery, not because I am frightened by death but because a cemetery is a sacred place. Those buried there were loved and mourned by our neighbors. Though they are not aware of my footsteps on the ground above their caskets, I want to give them the respect and honor due. I was little more than a tourist, a gawker there to enjoy the beauty, search the gravestones, and take photographs for my own enjoyment. I didn’t want to be in the way if a family happened to come by to visit.
There was a man in the cemetery with a weed eater, cleaning tall grasses from around some of the gravestones. I walked over to let him know why I was there. I know that cemeteries sometimes attract vandals bent on destruction, and though it was the middle of the day, I wanted to ensure the man I meant no harm. I commented about the beauty of the place and asked a few questions about the graves. Then I thanked him. I thanked him for taking such good care of the graves and for keeping the cemetery looking so beautiful.
I live far away from the place where my parents are buried, so I am unable to visit their graves on a regular basis. I can’t be there in the spring to ensure that the weeds are pulled and fresh flowers are planted. I can’t take care of any damage that might have occurred over the winter months. Now, I don’t need to visit a gravesite to remember my mother and father or give them the honor due. I remember them daily, share stories about their lives with my children, and keep pictures close at hand. The bodies in the grave are empty shells. Yet I was so sad when I saw some of the gravesites at the cemetery because it is obvious that no one visited regularly to take care of the site. I spent more than an hour cleaning the gravestone when I visited last summer. The older stones in this cemetery were obviously not cleaned for decades as they were crusted with lichen or weathered so much that the names and dates were nearly unreadable. I wondered if those people had been forgotten, and I worry that one day my parents will be forgotten, too. There will come a time when the last people who knew them will be long gone, perhaps even buried nearby.
I thanked the caretaker on behalf of all those people who live too far away to visit regularly, and for those who are no longer remembered by the living in this world. Weed eating the overgrown grasses in a place that rarely shows signs of life must be a lonely job. It might seem to be a job with little value. After all, he serves those who have already passed from life into death, but he also serves those who are still living. I think he appreciated the words. He seemed a little happier and lighter of step when we finished our conversation.
I didn’t intend on thanking the man for his service when I went to talk with him, but it seemed like a natural thing to do. He made me think about all the people we meet on a daily basis who serve us in some way. Have you ever thanked the station attendant at the self-serve gas station? Or the kid putting products on the shelf at the grocery store? Or the painters who are repainting the walls in your office space? We have no reason to talk with these workers, and yet we would not have so many things without these silent servants that we rarely realize are in our lives.
So today, thank someone who is doing a job that seems thankless, because they are making a difference in the world. They might not be serving you directly, but they would like to hear that they are important. Even if you don’t buy the product or work in that newly painted office, a word of thanksgiving on behalf of those who will benefit from their work will brighten their day. It is a small act of mercy that might make a huge difference in the one who receives a kind word. They might be a little happier and lighter of step when you have finished, and the world might just be a more peaceful place.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276.