Have you ever “binged” on a book series or a television show or a group of movies?  Netflix has let me binge on several television series.  And, by using their mail service, John and I can watch movies that we couldn’t get otherwise.  Our latest “binge” has been to watch movies that included Ronald Reagan.  He was in 50+ movies and they are cover a wide range of subjects.

Last night, we watched “The Hasty Heart,” filmed in 1949, starring Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal. and Richard Todd.  I had never heard of this movie before, but it was wonderful.

The story takes place in a military hospital in the Pacific just after the end of World War II.  A nun is a nurse in charge of a ward of recovering servicemen.  A new patient arrives on the ward – a tough, angry Scottish soldier.  The men on the ward learn that the Scotsman is going to die soon and decide to befriend him.  The camaraderie of veterans warms the Scotsman’s heart as he experiences friendship for the first time.

Eventually, he learns that he is close to death and that everyone else on the ward already had this information.  He questions the sincerity of their friendship and lashes out.  When challenged to consider what it means to have people care for you, his temper abates. When he reflects on this new experience of friendship he says, “It’s like I shared a moment with kings.”

Think about that – “It’s like I shared a moment with kings.”  The men of the ward weren’t special people; they were not wealthy nor famous.  All they did was to befriend a man in trouble.

It reminded me of people who have befriended me.  It is like I dined with royalty.

I was in the wedding of one friend.  Her mom had invited so many people to stay with them that there was no room for the bride to sleep in her own home.  She and I ended up on a mattress, in a Sunday School room at the church.  At 4:30 the morning of her wedding, we were awakened by the sound of a big truck arriving in the parking lot to empty the dumpsters.  We laughed and laughed and laughed.  The last time we saw each other was in a fast food restaurant, grabbing a quick lunch before she had to go back to work.  But, when I think about times together and her love and caring for me, I feel like I have been with royalty.

Friendship is valuable.  Don’t dismiss how important you are to others.  Never forget that people need you in their lives.  Need some friends?  Just look around you – we live in a hurting world.

And, then remember “It’s like I shared a moment with kings.”

Love,

Jill (just one of God’s kids)

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  (John 15: 12-15)