Legacy

Earlier this week, a dear mentor of mine woke up face-to-face with Jesus. He had lived through several years of physical hindrances due to various cancers in his body and the treatments and after-effects of the ‘cures’. While he is deeply missed, we also rejoice on the liberation and celebration he is experiencing in the presence of Jesus.

I knew him for less than half a dozen years but he has profoundly touched my life by his example of living out what is important when life is less than comfortable. I find myself challenged by the example of a life well-lived in the sense of being lived with ultimate purpose like he lived.

Yes, he was a steadfast follower of Jesus—not the popular one from media but rather the God of the Bible. In the years of our fellowship, he lived out the message of Jesus from a heart after Jesus more clearly than I’ve seen elsewhere except in Jesus Himself. I had the opportunity to walk alongside this man through a change time in his life where he took a role outside his experience but for which he was both suited and equipped by God to fulfill. This was during years of physical distress which often kept him uncomfortable beyond what most experience but which he did not succumb to and rather lived through ‘looking to Jesus’ for sufficiency in all situations.

Although formally educated well beyond those he served, that never was a demarcation and most likely were not aware of his scholarship and academic accomplishments for he had foremost learned humility and served Jesus in even the lowliest roles which provided access to serving anyone. He had a unique talent for listening which fostered his connection to those often unseen by most. He could listen and hear and connect where most of us shunned to go. He could hear the soul of those who were in contact with him. And, no matter how little time he had at his disposal, he always took time for those seeking connection to a life more worthy.

When his public arena grew small and simply personal, he continued to express Jesus. The size of the arena did not determine the intensity of his connections. In the final stages of his physical body poisoning him as it ceased to process life, he continued to touch lives simply by caring more about others than self. And then he was with Jesus. Forevermore. Amen

His life is one of those “Go and Do Likewise” examples on how to live ‘in the image of Jesus.’