Mike’s Musings …
He Loved Life … But He Didn’t Live Long
In June 1988 I moved my family from the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the hills and hollers of southern Indiana. We come to work with the Pinhook church of Christ, just a few miles southeast of Bedford. Almost immediately, I was asked by the elders to teach the “young adult” class, which was comprised of newlyweds and a few “not yet” young adults. His sister was in this class, and if memory serves correctly, that made BRIAN LEE the youngest in this assortment of inquiring spiritual minds.
Brian was a tall drink of water, but his character was the most refreshing part of his early maturity. Upon graduation from high school, he went to Vincennes Univerity where he graduated with skilled training in the machine tool and die trade. This work eventually led him to a supervisory position with the Ford Motor Company Kentuckiana Truck Company in Louisville, KY. With all this, he never forsook his love for his parents and sisters; albeit they would admit his love to return to the farm where he was raised was his “spoken” reason for coming home! The only love superior to this was his love for God and His word. Brian proved himself early on as an avid bible student and faithful servant of God.
Sometime on Monday, February 1, Brian died. No one expected it, and to anyone’s knowledge, Brian never mentioned feeling ill. Regardless, his soul departed from his earthly tabernacle, leaving his son Alex, his parents Don and Mary, his sisters Stephanie and Patty, his nieces and nephews, brethren and friends to sorrow for his passing … or rejoice for his death in the Lord … depending on your perspective of the death of God’s saints. (Psalms 116:15)
Brian was the type of man who cared more about you than he would care about himself. At only fifty-one, he didn’t have a lot of time to accomplish all his desires or fulfill all his dreams. But he did accomplish the most important: he obeyed God! Being told to judge righteous judgment (John 7:24) we can honestly say in our minds he died being faithful to God and His word. That’s what he lived and what he taught. Being faithful unto death is the requirement of us all (Revelation 2:10; 2 Peter 1:5 – 11). How long we have to live in such righteous conduct is unknown: therefore, it isn’t “how long” we live, but “how faithfully righteous in God’s sight” we live with what time we have!
I muse on Brian this week. Seems to most he was too young … but he lived longer than his nephew Ethan Shirley who died when he was only eighteen. I muse most on the importance of “now” when asked, “When should I obey the gospel?” Life is short … best to live it with God as long as you can!