Not likely to make national news

             I am fortunate to come from a long line of great people. I had the greatest, coolest, best grandparents and great grandparents that have ever walked the earth. Let me tell you about two of them; cliff notes version.

            My father’s father was awesome. His name was Elmer but I didn’t know that till I was older because I thought his name was “Papaw”! He was a Papaw and a farmer. He was a Papaw and a mechanic. He was a Papaw and a Papaw. Papaw was old all his life (or at least all of my life). He worked hard and loved harder. He always wore Dickies coveralls; dirty ones for work and a clean pair for a funeral or wedding. I don’t have a single bad memory of him other than when he died. He spoke his mind and was a very simple man. As an adult I wish I could talk to him. I would love nothing more than to work in the hay field with again. I miss him. His story is great!

            My mother’s grandmother was pretty amazing in her own right. Her name was Mamaw Allen. The Godliest woman I have ever met. I never knew her to have a job other than praying for her family and anyone else that asked. Mamaw was old too as long as I can remember. But she was great. She made the most incredible fried apple pies that you could ever taste (that is until Tammy started making them). I never saw her wear anything but a dress and pancake bun on the back of her head.  She could sing, shout and pray and I swear that God paid more attention to her than anyone else in the world (don’t get your theological panties wadded up just yet). What I wouldn’t give to go to church with her one last time and to meet her great great grandchildren! I miss her too. Her story? Wow, what a story!

            So here’s my deal today. I am going to assume that I will be old one day. Not yet but I’m sure in 20 to 50 years that I will be considered elderly. And in 80 years or so I may not be with you anymore. I mean, it’s not for certain but there is a chance that I won’t live to be 120. I sometimes, a lot of the time, more than I maybe should, think of what people will say about me. What will my children’s children say about Papaw Brad? I have some goals. I would like to be considered a hard worker. Fun. Wise (haha here’s for hoping). But more than anything I want to be thought of as Godly. I want my story to be a mixture between Papaw Bryant and Mamaw Allen.

            I want my legacy, story, life, to be seen as lived through the mind of God. I sincerely care what others think. And I know that my story is already being written. No death bed prayers. No last minute deals. No waiting till tomorrow. My story is currently being written. I am the subject and I am trying to let God be biographer. But realizing that the story has already been half written is scary.

            I don’t want my story to say I was petty. I don’t want my story to say I was selfish. I don’t want my story to describe me as mean, dishonest, unfaithful, disloyal, unfair, or not trustworthy. But if my story says any of those things then it’s most certainly my fault. Because I’m writing it RIGHT NOW! And I have to spell check and fact check my story every night before I go to sleep. If something needs adjusting or changing I am the publisher, editor, and co-author of my story. The world is my critic and my customer. And my story gets published every night and so does yours!

            So I ask myself, “What is the best example to use while determining how my story goes?” And my answer is simple. Christ. Become a Christian. Not the Christian that people in the media describe. Not the Christian that you remember growing up. You remember them don’t you? They would shout and dance on Sunday morning because the, “Holy Spirit just took over and I couldn’t help myself”! And I frequently remember as a teenager wondering how the Holy Spirit could just take control on Sunday morning yet through the week it seemed they didn’t even know the Holy Spirit. They wrote their story. Becoming a Christian for me is a continual work in progress. It starts by knowing Jesus and finding out what he was like for me.

            He isn’t the Christ portrayed by either side of the aisle in government. He was never a hypocrite. There was no hate in him. He wasn’t an elitist, arrogant, or rude. He loved all people. He never raised an army to push his agenda, nor did he call for anyone else to do so. His influence in society was because of his love and compassion. He had no other leverage. The church hated him because he threatened their assumed power over the people. Rome didn’t like him because things were quiet before he came.

            Here, in my opinion, lies the problem with modern day politics and religion. Today people seek to gain power by popularity instead of conviction. Influence by position instead of character. Jesus was the ultimate leader but he didn’t announce his candidacy for anything. His story was written by others and we tell it today! That is the story I want for me.

            What’s your story going to be like? Will it inspire others to better themselves or allow them to simply take satisfaction in knowing they’re better than you? Half of my story has already been written, published and distributed and cannot be changed. But the ending hasn’t been written yet. I’m still working on that. I won’t know how it ends but somebody will tell you about it later (MUCH later I hope)!

            What’s your story going to be like? You’re writing it! You decide.

           

Pastor Dad