A Good Friend I Never Knew

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me.  In my fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know."
John 14: 1-4 NKJV

Mark Larimore passed away yesterday, Saturday September 5th after a battle with Leukemia.  Mark was a coworker whom I had known for more than a few years off and on.  I considered him a good man, not a friend necessarily.  Sometimes it's hard in work relationships to take that chance and open up to someone and get to know them.  Mark wasn't afraid to do this, I was.  In retrospect, I wonder how different both of our lives would have been had I chosen to develop that friendship.  I know in my heart that I would have a better man for it.  As with many things, it is our pride that hinders us from reaching out at times.  Still, despite not knowing him all too well, I knew him enough to see his charachter each day.  He was not afraid to offer assistance to anyone in need, that was just who he was.  There were more than a few times when a customer compliment would come in mentioning something helpful Mark had done, although his usual response was to downplay the situation as him "Just doing his job."  Maybe it was his humbleness that drew in those around him.  Despite the demands that his job created, he always took the time to talk with people he met in the field.  Working in a Government agency capacity, we are usually very hesitant to engage ANYONE in conversation during our work shift.  This is one of the things that made Mark different, and something I wish we all could emulate.  To see someone in need, to not be afraid to reach out, that was Mark.  I chafffed at the fact that there were times people in our work group would criticize Mark for not being afraid to do work that was assigned to other people.  See, they felt that his efforts would bring attention to them, which to someone else was a bad thing.  However, Mark NEVER did something to make others look bad, doing what he could to help was his motivation.
I will always remember a conversation I had with Mark a few years back.   Somehow our conversation had turned to Jesus and the joys of following him.  This is the first time I ever knew Mark to be a christian, as this is something we rarely talk about on the job.  I remember seeing his happiness as he talked of the new life he had in Christ.  I know that he was doing his best to reconcile a relationship with his son Cody, and talked about him often.  My prayers are with Mark and his family.  I wish that I had been a better friend.  He will be missed.

~Scott~