A Pastoral Word. . . Above and Beyond
Pastor Kevin Freeman
March 6, 2025
Bus drivers have one main task, which is to safely transport students to and from school. This job surely comes with other tasks, too. Depending on the school district, it may involve fueling the bus, ensuring order, alerting staff about maintenance needs, and completing reports. What about buying pajamas? That surely isn’t on any driver’s job description, but a pajama purchase is exactly what school bus driver Larry Farrish, Jr., did.
In an article in Today, Farrish described what led him to take this action. One morning, while picking up students along his Louisville, Kentucky, bus route, Farrish saw a boy named Levi looking downcast. Normally, Levi was energetic and smiling as he bounded aboard the bus each day, so Farrish knew something was wrong. When he asked him about it, Levi explained that it was the school’s pajama day, and he had no pajamas to bring. Farrish then watched as the sad lad sat away from his peers and hung his head. “I thought, ‘I gotta fix this,’” Farrish recalled.
After completing the morning route, Farrish made Levi’s day by purchasing two sets of pajamas and bringing them to the school for Levi to wear. Levi was delighted. Farrish explained, “He was so excited — you should’ve seen how his face lit up.” Levi later shared with Today, “When he got me the pajamas, I did a happy cry.”
Larry Farrish, Jr., provided an excellent model for Christians to understand our call to go above and beyond as we serve others in the name of Jesus. By staying observant, we too can spot needs and then meet them. We can adopt the same I-gotta-fix-this mindset Farrish showed.
As you know, I have accepted a call to serve at another church, which means there will soon be some leadership and ministry needs at Redland. I have been blessed to see some Redlanders already look at a coming need and respond, “I gotta fix this.” Others may step into a new area to serve, leaving a need where they were serving. Perhaps you will see one of those needs and say, “I gotta fix this.”
Hebrews 13:16 urges us, “And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (NASB95).
This sort of above and beyond duty may not be on a bus driver’s job description, but it is on every Christian’s job description. We are called to see and to meet needs as a reflection of Christ’s heart. One of our five purposes is to “Care in the nature of Christ.” It’s part of being grace-driven. What “gotta fix” need is God laying on your heart?
Your partner in ministry,
Kevin Freeman
In an article in Today, Farrish described what led him to take this action. One morning, while picking up students along his Louisville, Kentucky, bus route, Farrish saw a boy named Levi looking downcast. Normally, Levi was energetic and smiling as he bounded aboard the bus each day, so Farrish knew something was wrong. When he asked him about it, Levi explained that it was the school’s pajama day, and he had no pajamas to bring. Farrish then watched as the sad lad sat away from his peers and hung his head. “I thought, ‘I gotta fix this,’” Farrish recalled.
After completing the morning route, Farrish made Levi’s day by purchasing two sets of pajamas and bringing them to the school for Levi to wear. Levi was delighted. Farrish explained, “He was so excited — you should’ve seen how his face lit up.” Levi later shared with Today, “When he got me the pajamas, I did a happy cry.”
Larry Farrish, Jr., provided an excellent model for Christians to understand our call to go above and beyond as we serve others in the name of Jesus. By staying observant, we too can spot needs and then meet them. We can adopt the same I-gotta-fix-this mindset Farrish showed.
As you know, I have accepted a call to serve at another church, which means there will soon be some leadership and ministry needs at Redland. I have been blessed to see some Redlanders already look at a coming need and respond, “I gotta fix this.” Others may step into a new area to serve, leaving a need where they were serving. Perhaps you will see one of those needs and say, “I gotta fix this.”
Hebrews 13:16 urges us, “And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (NASB95).
This sort of above and beyond duty may not be on a bus driver’s job description, but it is on every Christian’s job description. We are called to see and to meet needs as a reflection of Christ’s heart. One of our five purposes is to “Care in the nature of Christ.” It’s part of being grace-driven. What “gotta fix” need is God laying on your heart?
Your partner in ministry,
Kevin Freeman
Source: https://www.today.com/parents/family/bus-driver-saves-day-gets-pajamas-for-boy-rcna139017
Image source: https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2024-02/PAJAMA-DAY-BUS-DRIVER-MC-240215-03-0d2b9a.jpg
Image source: https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2024-02/PAJAMA-DAY-BUS-DRIVER-MC-240215-03-0d2b9a.jpg
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