Quiet Man…

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.                                                Matthew 5:5

My wife and I attended the funeral service today of a man we have known for many years. He had been a pastor at the same church for 50 years. That is certainly unusual, but even more unusual is the fact that he had been the Associate Pastor for all those years, under the direction of two different Senior Pastors.

This man, Pastor Doug, was a quiet man, rarely raising his voice, always pleasant and friendly, certainly not controversial. He was calm, thoughtful, and deliberate. He was a planner, usually in the background of events. But as people began to eulogize him, it became apparent that he was a quiet man of great influence. He was clearly goal directed as a Christian educator and youth leader, and he was a visionary in the founding of a Christian School in our city.

He loved his family, and he loved his God. He had many friends, and many loved him. But he chose to be in the background, and he never wanted the spotlight shined on him- it must be directed toward the object of his faith, Jesus. He could be described as having the quality of meekness. Meekness does not mean weakness, but rather power under control. Pastor Doug had power, but he had it under control. What a gift.

So, we bade a fond farewell to Pastor Doug as he settles into his new home. He influenced thousands of people in his life, but he did so in the background. His was a life well lived indeed. Sometimes funerals are amazingly uplifting.

This was one of them.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the quiet lives that are so impactful, Amen