Jitterbugging for Jesus

Thurman Haynes: at 97, making his community, country and the world a little better place.

You probably never heard of Thurman Haynes of High Point, N.C.

That’s because Mr. Haynes, 97, is one of the good guys, an “average” American who (at 97, mind you!) makes his community, his country and the world a better place, day in and day out. His kind–the “average Joes”–don’t get showcased much in America’s news-driven and celebrity-obsessed culture. And yet they do the most extraordinary American things without any fanfare.

Mr. Haynes was recently named the winner in a national “Salute to Senior Service” contest for his tireless work at a school for children with disabilities. (Click here for the story.)

His kind advance the kingdom of God and personify the good news and get scant attention for it, but they don’t need attention anyway.

And his kind are found in America’s many other religions and faith traditions, where people of quiet faith and religious and moral integrity slug away in obscurity every day, simply loving their neighbors.

You wouldn’t know from the endless flood of bad and bizarre news and TV programming that America still has a good heart, really, and that so much good gets done by “average Americans” in towns and city neighborhoods day in and day out.

Call me Pollyanna Paul (I’ve been called worse), but I think there’s a lot and a whole lot more Thurman Hayneses out there–good-hearted Americans, from 7 to 97, from all kinds of faith traditions–who hold the country together with their integrity and good works, keeping America beautiful in more ways than one.

May their tribe increase.