I think that if my dad were to read my blogs on a regular basis, he would argue emphatically that I should not post the following...because it's about him...and he's humble. So I'll continue on as if he's not reading and, I guess, deal with the forgiveness aspect at a later date.
I was in a conference today with Thom Rainer as the keynote. It was in the 2nd or 3rd session that I heard something very profound - a story of the time that he preached his father's funeral. At the time he realized the significance of his father's life, because the whole town of 3500 people showed up to the service and they had to relocate to a hill by the cemetery to accomodate all of the people. As I sat there listening to his story, my eyes began to water when I thought of my dad and the pride I have of calling him my father. In fact, I'm nearly in tears (sitting outside of Starbucks) right now as I recall my previous emotions of the day.
You may ask, "Bryan, why were you in tears? Was it because you think 3500 people will show up to your father's funeral service?" On the contrary, no. Because my father has never been one to reach the masses. As I look back on my 27 years with him, I see (very profoundly) that he ministers to the few, in the hope - burning desire even - that they will reach the masses.
There was also a public funeral for the fallen officers in last week's shooting over at People's Church (across town). It was a very large and very open funeral, because many people desired to show their appreciation for an officer's willingness to lay his/her life on the line to defend their public constituents. But that's also not the kind of funeral that my Poppi will have.
No - his will consist of the people that mattered most in life to him: his personal family and his church family. There will, no doubt, be a number of people there, but it will not be a public or open display of people to whom he showed affection. It will be the people that he ministered to on a daily basis, who will go on to minister to the masses.
No one publicly remembers that he is the voice of reason - that he is the man with more wisdom that most of his peers. No one continually voices how well he did in the sermon on Sunday, because he wasn't preaching - he was praying for the preacher. No one remembers that he went to college, because he didn't - he worked his entire life to be faithful to God so that each and every one of his kids could go through college and receive a better education.
No one will mention that he went to another country to save the masses, because he didn't - he just adopted one that will grow up to do that. No one will recognize his contribution to social justice issues, because he had none of his own - he continually fought so that just one would minister to hundreds of poor, needy, homeless, broken, shattered women in slavery and prostitution. No one will comment that he saved the city, because he only trained one to go out to city block after city block and keep our streets safe. No one will see how he taught others, because there was just one that he raised to go out and exemplify godly principles to class after class of elementary students.
And no one will say that he built up a church to its fullest potential, because he only poured into one that would go on to minister to the hearts of hundreds of congregants.
There's something to be said for the one that ministered to the few so that the thousands would be reached. And THAT is why I love my Poppi. THAT is why I thank God for his faithfulness. THAT is why my father is great.
You may not have had the same experience. And you may not know the full potential of this message, but he seems to just find one at a time and I'm sure that you can be next.
