J.R. Briggs

Thelma’s Smile: A Lesson in spiritual formation

March 19, 2009

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A few weeks ago I rolled out of bed early to head to the gym to run on the treadmill and lift. I normally love doing this, but that morning I was exhausted and bleary-eyed, complaining on the way over that I should have enjoyed an extra hour of sleep.

I finished my time on the treadmill and was in the middle of my reps in the weight room when I saw an older woman walk in. She caught me eye because she stuck out. Really stuck out. She didn’t belong in the weight room. She was in her mid-sixties. She was dressed in normal street clothes. Rather than wearing a t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes she was wearing dress pants and a turtleneck. But it wasn’t just her age and dress that made her stick out: she was crippled, walking ever so slowly with the assistance of a cane. And she had a huge smile on her face.

She plodded along around the weight room, slowing moving from machine to machine, placing the pin in the hole of the weight she desired, which was usually the first notch – ten pounds.

I sat there resting between my reps and watching her, utterly aware of the contrast: here I am, with a healthy body in my twenties, complaining that I had to get up and work out… and watching this woman in her sixties, crippled and moving only with the assistance of a cane – with a smile on her face.

I sat there with my iPod earbuds in with tears in my eyes, confronted with my own ungratefulness and the awareness of my lack of perspective. Talk about a humbling experience. My complaining thoughts left me embarrassed.

Between reps I went over and introduced myself to this woman and told her that I had been watching her and that she was inspiring. Her age and physical condition didn’t keep her from coming and working out – and she did it with a genuine smile on her face. I told her that she had made my day and had challenged me to be grateful for the many gifts that God has given to me and that I had so profanely taken for granted.

She told me her name was Thelma and that she comes in with her husband Harold every other day to work out. She and Harold were in a motorcycle accident in 1977, which left her leg practically ripped off. The only thing keeping her leg attached to her body was her calf muscle. The doctors reattached her leg, but told her that she would never walk again. Now she walks…and works out. Three times a week.

She told me that I had made her day by coming and talking to her.

Her husband came over and Thelma introduced me to Harold. After we said goodbye, I put my ear buds back in and went back to lifting and watched Thelma finish her workout. As she finished, Harold offered her his arm as a groomsman does with a bridesmaid walking down the aisle at a wedding ceremony.

And the two of them slowly walked out of the gym, arm in arm with smiles on their faces.

Thelma didn’t just teach me the importance of thankfulness. She also taught me about spiritual formation; that despite our brokenness, we come in with others in great thankfulness to discipline ourselves to work hard. And we leave leaning on the arms of others who choose to walk with us in life.

While most people come to the gym with a mindset of narcissistic comparison and evident individualism, Thelma came unafraid of her condition and full of gratitude to use her broken self and leave with the help of another. She wasn’t embarrassed about her crippled state. She didn’t compare herself to the other fit and strong people in the room. Instead she offered all that she could and relied on the assistance of another to finish out her time.

Thelma gave me a clear picture of spiritual formation. And that is beautiful picture of the body of Christ actively at work.

Imagine the power of the gospel actively at work if we came in, aware of our brokenness but free of comparing ourselves to others’ progress and growth.

Imagine if we could work together (not out legalism, but out of joy) with the Spirit towards formation.

And imagine if we received the help from others who would walk with us into the week ahead.

Isn’t that the point of this concept called church?

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