It was a typical summer Sunday evening service. People were scattered throughout the 500-seat auditorium. There was a testimony time, and several people spoke up, sharing from their hearts what God had done.

Then Buddy stood and talked. He was grateful that he could be in church. When he told us that even though he didn’t have a ride he was glad he was able to walk the mile or so to church, you could hear the others respond in surprise. On this Sunday night when so many had found reasons to stay away from church, Buddy had come alone, one dark step at a time. Buddy is blind.

We can learn a lot from him. He struggles to do things we can do with little effort, but often neglect. He is more aware perhaps than those of us without physical disabilities that “our outward man is perishing” (2 Cor. 4:16), so he works hard at feeding his “inward man” by meeting with other believers. He knows what the apostle Paul knew: It is only through a strong reliance on the Lord that we can succeed in our Christian life.

Buddy did not lose heart when he had to walk to church in his blindness. May his example help us to stop letting outward things halt our inner growth.