Jay - The Face Of A Faithful Servant
 

"Have you seem my servant Jay?
Blameless and upright,
A man who fears God?
Did you love my servant Jay?
Though perhaps you never knew him,
So quiet and self-effacing,
You really could have missed him
As he gave himself to you.
Perhaps you didn't see him, 
Did you ask how he was living?
No public face, just acts of grace,
My beloved servant Jay."

By Maureen Asabia June 2022

The poem above, written by one of our members, is just one of the many words of grief, sadness, and shock we feel for the sudden passing of our dearly beloved brother and friend, Jay Bhujun, who passed away recently. His was a life so rich, yet when he was around could easily be overlooked. He is the one to help every other person, yet you'll never find him expressing any need for help. It was not that he was super human or arrogant, it was that he was always looking out for other people, such that he perhaps did not see or pay much attention to himself. He didn't mind being overlooked, but he never overlooked anyone. 

A Quiet Presence
Jay was available. If you needed help in an area of church life, he was there volunteering his time. For many years, he looked after the church garden and helped practically around the church. He did not talk much, but he did a lot. He does not only respond to calls for help in church, he notices people and privately contact them to offer help. His last message to me on whatsApp on 30 March 2022 reads "Segun I had a dream of you recently; this is what I saw: I am in company of a few people. I hear someone say Segun is not well. We all went to see you, and notice you are sitting in a chair and you stood up. I also saw a dark man in white coat standing, whom I took to be a doctor. Afterwards I prayed over it and rebuked, reversed it and renounced the dream in Jesus' name. Please look after yourself. By the way I know where you live. Jay." 

He will call people if he had not seen them in church for a while. He is almost always present in church and quietly present in people's lives. Sadly, he is arguably the one we are likely to overlooked if he missed a Sunday. We probably didn't check on him as much as he checked on others. Now that he is permanently absent on this side of glory, his absence speaks so loud it is impossible to overlook. He is arguably the longest serving steward, the longest serving gardener, a faithful servant he was. Reliable, dependable, quietly caring and loving.

The First To Volunteer
About seven year's ago, when one of our members had a stroke, for more than a year, he was one of the first in our pastoral care team to volunteer to sit with this person for an afternoon every week for a year. He regularly visited another member who is house bound to pray with them. I bumped into him a few times on my pastoral visits. He is either leaving when I arrive or I meet him there visiting other members. He spent his time looking after others. He was very private, and we probably did not look after him as much as he did others. I think it is fair to say, he didn't want to be the one to be looked after, not just because he was very private, but because he genuinely thought of others instead of himself. 

He Lived Alone
Jay lived alone in his flat in Tadworth. As private as he is, his flat, his home was open to people to visit. I had visited his flat a few times before he passed. On one occasion, I visited with Linda. I remember he treated us to a meal. At another occasion we treated ourselves to takeaway over a game of football. His home was open. 

Servant Hearted 
Jay is a true example of a servant hearted Christian. He is the joy of every Pastor. He offered his time and being for the service of God and the Church. No doubt he exemplifies those on the right of the judgement seat of God, who will hear these words "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to me...Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:34-40, NIV). 

Jay worked for many years in the NHS, as at the time of his death he was retired, but not tired. He had some free time, like many retired people, he used his free time to bless people. Again, he exemplified this verse, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." (Gal. 5:13, NIV). Jay used his freedom for others. 

In the 2008 Prehistoric film titled, 10,000 B.C., the character played by Cliff Curtis said this " A good man draws a circle around himself and cares for those within - his woman, his children. Other men draw a larger circle and bring within their brothers and sisters. But some men have a great destiny. They must draw themselves a circle that includes many, many more..." Jay had no wife or children, but he drew a larger circle that included many many more. He was a great man of God!

Jay has finished his fight of faith. He has served faithfully. He is now with the Lord in heaven, rejoicing with others departed. It remains for us to be challenged by his life. He was in his 70s and he has been serving in Church since his conversion and for over 20 years. In his memory, let's see many people under 50 years old join the "Jay Jeneration" of faithful men and women who will serve selflessly, be the first to volunteer, look after those who live alone, and those who most are unlikely to remember. We won't exclude the over 50s who also want to continue to serve like Jay did, right to the very end. 

Thank you Jay for showing us what it means to be a faithful servant. Your face fits the bill. Rest now, good night and we pray to see you again in glory.