April 26, 2012
The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. -- Psalm 116: 15 (NLT)
Today is your birthday. You would have been 50 years young today if you were still with us. You are not of course -- you are with God. What seems like five years has only been five months. Only five months since you left us way too soon to go be with Jesus. We often speak in this lifetime about legacy -- that which we leave behind to which others can remember us by. Some will leave a legacy built upon their careers, such as Steve Jobs who left this earth recently as well. Some will leave a legacy of talent which will transcend generations such as Whitney Houston. Still others will leave a legacy of innovation such as Dick Clark. These however are legacies born to fade with time. There will always be the next great mind. The next great talent. The next great innovator. You though; you left behind a far greater legacy.
You left behind a legacy of servant hood. No one I have met in my life had a bigger servant's heart than you. Your life was never really about you; even to your detriment. One of the last acts Jesus did on this earth before going to the cross was to wash the feet of His disciples. They did not understand it well then -- having the Master wash the servant's feet. The picture He drew that day was for us today. Jesus drew us a picture of how we were supposed to work out this salvation he has freely given us. How our lives were no longer about us. That our lives had to transcend the petty and selfish teachings of this world. That our lives must become about serving other people. Not an easy lesson to capture but one that you understood innately. I thank you for this part of your legacy because it reminds me that my life is not supposed to be about me. It is supposed to be about God and in order to become like the Master; I must reduce myself to the position of servant.
You left behind a legacy of gentleness. In a world that is much too dark and much too harsh, you were always a light for others to follow and an easy answer in the tough times. The Bible teaches us that a gentle answer turns away wrath and that is why there can never be anyone who will have a bad word to say about you. Gentleness is so overlooked in our day and age. Sermons are often screamed, worship can be more about volume than the Spirit, and we can excuse it all away so easily. The Bible says to not let course joking or cursing escape our lips and where we all fall so short in this area; I do not recall you doing so. Besides the never cursing, I simply do not remember you having a bad word to say about anybody. Nobody was beyond hope for you. I thank you for this because it reminds me that how I deliver a message is just as important as the message itself.
Lastly, you left behind a legacy of love. The 500 people ate your memorial can attest to that or the countless people I have met since that claimed to have loved you but only met you once. That is making a first impression. Jesus said that people will know us by our love and you embodied that. I remember seeing the waitress at our favorite diner weeping when she heard you had gone home. She only knew you as a customer but you always took the time to witness to her, to make her feel like she wasn't just your waitress"that she was loved. I thank you for that because there is simply too much hate in this world. There is too much hate even in the church. You remind me daily the importance of showing the love Christ has shown me -- to other people as well.
So happy birthday Anna. God told me recently that He had to take you home because you were suffering too greatly. We do not grieve as the world does, without hope. For I know that we will see each other again in the presence and glory of the God we both serve. No, we grieve selfishly because you are not here and we wish that you were. Here to show us the importance of being a gentle and loving servant of Jesus Christ. Until the day though when our faith is made sight, we will have to hold onto the legacy you left behind for us. The Bible teaches us:
Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials--gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 1Corinthians 3: 12-15 (NLT)
There is no doubt that you did not build with hay or
straw. The works you built have lasted and will continue to last. Everyone who
even barely met you will testify that your work was valued and your legacy
remains so. Happy Birthday Schmoopy.
Rev. Anthony
