He'll be 84 in July. He is a preacher....and has been for over 60 years. His has been a life dedicated to sharing the love of Christ with whomever is in front of him...wherever he might be.
He is from a family of preachers. His Father and several of his brothers have spent their lives climbing in to pulpits and ministering to their respective congregations. His is a rich and storied heritage.
There is no counting the number of sermons he has preached. More importantly, there is no counting the number of hours he has spent in preparing messages of truth and encouragement for those in his congregations. It is a labor of love....the love of Christ in him.
He has made stands...with integrity...with courage...with consistency. He was essentially run out of South Carolina for refusing to compromise...to bow...to concede. His stand there (many years ago) was that all are equal in the eyes of God. Race, gender, social status, and economic strata do not matter. His sacrifice...his stand...was a labor of love. The love of Christ in him.
He moved into an assisted living facility with his precious wife, now deceased, a few years ago. It was his newest "congregation." He shepards them. He patiently rounds them up and helps them get here and there. It is a labor of love...the love of Christ in him.
In his retirement...remember he is 83...he spends his days as a volunteer chaplain at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. He visits with every patient and their families. He prays with them. He encourages them. He lightens their load even though it is more than a little difficult, physically, for him to walk those halls. It is a labor of love...The love of Christ in him.
He is a legend. He is known. He is a theologian. He is a modern day martyr.
He shares the love of Christ with whomever is in front of him...wherever he might be.
This past Wednesday, it was in the living room of a neighbor at Ivy Hall...where he lives. Ironically, it was the same living room that he and his wife lived in when she was alive. After her death...he moved into a smaller place so as to make room for others. He had been at "craft time." The project for the day was making and decorating Christmas stockings. I can only imagine what creative thoughts were going through his mind. He was not preparing a sermon...he was making a stocking. He was not delving into scripture...he was delving into felt. He was not studying theology...he was manipulating scissors and Elmer's Glue. I can bet you, however, that the most prevalent thing on his mind was the woman upstairs who was keeping vigil at her husband's side. The woman upstairs who was going to say her earthly goodbye's to the man she had been married to for 66 years at any moment. The woman upstairs who couldn't make it to "craft time."
So...he made two stockings.
He came into the room balancing the creations on one arm while clutching his cane in his other hand. He put his cane down and spread his feet in order to balance himself. He presented both stockings to the woman...he held them out proudly. He said, "Do you want the Santa Claus or the Reindeer." Your choice.
All his theology...all his preparation...all his legend...all his martyrdom...all his ministry was summed up in that one simple question.
You see...it was a labor of love...the love of Christ in him.
With whomever is in front of you...wherever you are...however you can...love.
4 comments:
I'm pushing back the tears because you have just helped me with a missing link I've had this Christmas season. It really is all about sharing Christ's love with the person in front of me, isn't it? Thank you for this, my friend.
I did not hold back my tears. what a beautiful story. This is what Christmas is all about!!!
Merry Christmas to all.
I didn't hold back my tears either.....because you were talking about my daddy. Wow! I already knew these things about my dad, but you said them so well and you reminded me of just how blessed I am to have him as my father. It also reminded me to keep remembering the reason for Christmas. Thanks for your gift of writing!
A friend & I have been discussing this topic at length over several lunches. I'm ashamed to admit how "caught up" in the whole "Commercialized Christmas" I had become. My friend's influence and your blog have had a major impact on how I will view things this year. Thanks David, keep on with this good work of yours!!
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