At
some point in life when the future looks brief, it is a wise thing to take
stock of one’s own life. With that in mind, it dawned on me that my life is
really made up of the people I have known. Each of them has put something into
my life. These days I am attempting to say thank-you to as many of them as I
can. It has turned out to be a slow process, so let me turn to the Shepherd’s
Staff to reach as many of you as I can. If you know me to any degree, you are
one of those individuals. Our contact may have been brief, but you left
something with me when our paths intersected.
Counting
negatives is a waste of time, so let me major on the positives. I am thankful
for a father, and also his father, who taught me how to work. Some of my
employers added to that gift, and today I can say that I love to work. That is
why at eighty-one years of age I am still working. This is the kind of gift we
can pass on to our children, and our family of five have all exhibited a strong
work ethic. My parents were products of the Depression. They had learned some
hard lessons, and I inherited them. If we didn’t cut firewood, we would have
frozen to death. If we hadn’t raised our own food, we would have starved to
death. In my youth, I was angry about this, but now I thank God for those hard
days.
My
mother exhibited genuine Christianity. Instead of being bitter over the
circumstances of life, she used them to minister to others. Even in her
advanced age, she was ever the servant. It was her patience and love that drew
me to her Savior. Many of her positive traits were a gift to me, and I am
thankful for those qualities. They often say that it is the woman in a marriage
who makes the man what he is. I confess that that is true in my life. Ruth’s
remarkable patience has made all the difference. Mother-in-law jokes never
worked for me. God gave me a great one, and I loved her dearly. There were many
other family members who had a part in my growth, but these are just a few.
No
one could have had a better pastor than I did. He loved his people and
especially the teens. He was steady and firm. As a result, I came to Christ
under his ministry, was baptized, licensed to preach, ordained, and married.
(He threatened to do my funeral, too, but I conducted his instead!) I fondly
remember a few adults in the church who set a high standard by the way they
lived. It was in this same ministry that some of my fellow teens ministered to
me, and some of those friendships are still alive today.
OTHERS
WHO ADDED TO MY LIFE
There
were also those who taught me in the classroom. Some whose names I remember
from the early years have passed from this life, but their influence remains.
The years in Bible college brought onto my path more people who marked my life.
The same is true of graduate and post-graduate work - too many names to
remember. Thirty-seven years in the pastorate added some unbelievable people
who helped to turn my life in the right direction. Many of those friends are
still in touch.
Then
came the years of education and missionary ministry. You will note that I have
not mentioned many names so far. Recently, however, a great friend and
theologian, Dr. Hoyle Bowman, moved to his heavenly residence. His passing was
what started my effort to make a record of those people who have impacted my
life in a special way. It also sent me on a journey to thank those who are
still living. In every area of my life there were special people, but those
peers in academics and ministry are especially on my mind. Please forgive me if
I have missed you with this summary. I am thankful for your investment in my
life.
I
have just returned from a journey to the Middle East, where I have been
ministering off and on for seventeen years. Our youngest son, Kraig, and Pastor
Frankie Matthews were along for the ride. It would have been good if we could
have visited all the countries we worked in, but time did not allow. Some of
you who read this have blessed my life, and I would have loved to see your face
one more time. In Egypt, we did see many of you. This allowed me to embrace you
and say thank-you for what you put into my life. Thirty years in the pastorate
was the center of ministry for me, but the last seventeen years as a missionary
and educator in the heart of the Middle East was the capstone. The students there,
and our fellow servants, poured their lives into mine, and I send you a
collective package of gratitude.
A
NEW DAY
Now
it is early morning, and I have another day to say thank-you; and I will
continue to work on this project of thanks for as long as I can. Today I can
say thanks for loving pastors who have been a great source of encouragement to
me. My wife, five children, fifteen grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren
have also enriched my life. The members of my Sunday School class make another long
list. Add to this a few men who are helping me with research for writing
projects. Then there is the lady who edits my diatribes before they go to
print. To list friends would be impossible, but they all have made an impact on
my life. That would include a good group of couples who reside at Maranatha
Village. This may sound strange, but I am thankful for those folks who are
willing to bring me up short when I am “off base” - you know who you are.
Perhaps you are now able to see why I used the Shepherd’s Staff to say how
thankful I am for the hundreds of people who added something to my life to help
make it worthwhile.
A
LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE NIGHT FALLS
While
I stop here and there to say a word of gratitude to many more folks, I still
have some things to do. There are two books I have authored that have been in
constant print for well over twenty years. Those are The Weeping Church: Observations on Church Polity and The Conflict: The Separation of Church and State. Both are available at FaithfullLifePublishers.com. There are
three more in the works, but the most important one is The Normal
Hermeneutic: The One Biblical Hermeneutic. This has become the centerpiece
of our ministry. It has also been the core of the tremendously effective
ministry in the Middle East. I can only ask that you pray that I will have the
time and energy to finish it. Hani Hana, my spiritual son, is co-author; and
the book will be published in both English and Arabic.
And
so, to all of you I say thank-you for what you have put into my life that has
helped to make it worthwhile.
Shepherd’s
Staff is prepared by Clay Nuttall, D. Min.
A communication
service of Shepherd’s Basic Care, for those committed to the authority and
sufficiency of the Bible. Shepherd’s Basic Care is a ministry of information
and encouragement to pastors, missionaries, and churches. Write for information
using the e-mail address shepherdstaff2@juno.com or ShepherdStaff
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