Nancy Taylor:Greene Publishing, Inc.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)
When Hurricane Irma hit Madison County, many branches (and some trees) came down in people’s yards. For some, clean-up was easy; but for others, it was a task they could not do on their own.
Such was the case for 90-year-old war veteran Don Bowen. He had large branches throughout his yard and across his driveway. However, there are good Samaritans throughout Madison County who have stepped up to help their neighbors.
In Bowen’s case, those neighborly individuals were Tommy and Bo Hardee. “These 90-year-old people like us need these young people,” said Bowen.
When asked what motivates the two of them to step out and help their neighbors in this way, Tommy Hardee’s response was, “We’re called to do stuff like this.” He continued with “my parents … they do all kinds of things that help people that no one knows about.”
Both of the brothers acknowledged, “We’ve done this since we were kids. When the ice storm hit (in ’88 or ’89), we helped Tommy Greene push people’s cars off the roadway.”
“For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NIV)
“You do things that are good just because (they are good), but it takes on a whole new meaning when you encounter Jesus,” said Bo Hardee. “(For me), the Christ-like part didn’t take on a whole lot of meaning until four or five years ago.” So far, the Hardees have helped clear between 30 and 40 yards, and they still have five or six more to go. “We’re going to get this one done, so we can move on to the next one,” said the brothers.