That is Good

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”            -Matthew 5:16

This week I have been inspired.  Not by a Hall of Fame quarterback.  Not by an Oscar winning performance.  Not by a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.  This week I have been inspired by a man who I came to know through his death.  Let me explain.  Gregg died last Friday during a senseless and brutal act of violence.  I knew who Gregg was as we attended the same church but I didn’t “know” Gregg.  Over the past few days I have had the privilege and honor to spend time with Gregg’s family and closer friends.  And what I have learned is that Gregg was no ordinary man.  He was a man who believed in serving Christ first and then everyone else.  He believed in teaching and leading his family to make Christ the most important focus of their lives.  He made every day about serving God and showing others what the benefits of that kind of life are.  He made it a priority in his day to share the love of Christ with everyone he came into contact with.  He cared more about the eternal destiny of others than what adjustments he may have to make in his schedule to share the love of Christ with them.  He cared little about his bank account if it meant not passing up an opportunity to encourage another man or lead him to a life of Christ.  Gregg walked the walk.  And I only had the opportunity to meet a few of the lives that he left his impression upon.  I cannot imagine how many more there are.  At first I was sad that a man like this, a man who went out each day with the lives of others on his mind, would no longer be able to make a difference.  I looked to the Heavenly Father with confusion as to why something like this was necessary.  I don’t know the answer to that question.  But what I now realize is that I had it totally wrong;  Gregg hasn’t stopped making a difference at all.  I have no doubt that if a guy like me can be inspired by the path Gregg cleared, then there must be SO many others that knew him much better than me who are now anxious to walk that walk.   We will likely never understand why a death like this happens until the time comes when we meet our Lord.  But I am a firm believer that God never lets something tragic like this happen without good coming from it.  We may never see the good side of moments like these but I will guarantee you, it’s there.  And I can’t say why Gregg had to die young and in this way.  What I can say is that the man that I met, even though it was through his death, has inspired me to walk and live more like another man, whose death did so much for this world.  And that is good.