Originally appeared on my Blew's Clues blog:
Let me direct your attention to an N&O obituary of May 21, to the obituary of Larry Campbell, a man, like David, after God's own heart. This was a man who had nothing much materially in adulthood, a man who began married life as a house parent in a home for abused or orphaned children and who died as the pastor of a small but growing church that he helped start in Middlesex, N.C. He spent his entire life, from the age of 12, in ministry, toiling many years as a counselor, marriage and otherwise, offering his patient guidance, his good humor and his open and humble heart to hundreds of hurt and broken people. Being enveloped within the power of the authentic, moving prayers that poured from Larry's mouth was a healing of its own.
Many are the happy things that could be said about Larry, whose Elvis impersonation was particularly memorable and whose ability to appear somewhat angelic after unleashing the most devious of pranks was legendary. But for the purpose of public thought, one of the many things that struck me during Larry's most perfect of funerals was the question of his lack of financial planning, also legendary. Was this foolishness ... or was it faith? Within a culture that is brushed continuously by a nauseating swirl of rampant materialism lay a man and his family who relied on God to provide, who believed in Jehovah-jireh. I find such faith far more admirable than any amount of fortune.
It's true that there was no money for a funeral, but several churches came together and provided the money. When the true men of faith among us rely on God, God relies on his people to be his hands and feet. Is God finding you reliable?
Sitting among the hundreds of people at Larry's funeral (not to mention standing in line for nearly two hours at the funeral home the night before), you also had to contemplate the power of your own life, to wonder whether you're doing anything that makes a difference to one person, let alone to hundreds.
And you had to wonder why -- why our beloved Larry had to die of a heart attack at age 47, to leave, among scores of others, a 9-year-old son and his first grandchild, due in August.
Three of Larry's favorite praise and worship songs were part of the funeral, and on the last, the attendees were supposed to stand up, raise their hands and sing. One of the pastors pointed out that this was Larry's last laugh, of course, making the staid Baptists among us uncomfortably lift their arms elbow high, hoping no one would see them.
During the second song, however, Larry's wife stood up, alone among hundreds, and lifted her hands to the sky, singing along with "Our God is an Awesome God" -- self abandoned.
If she can leave the whys behind, I reckon I can, too.
Here are the lyrics to the last song. You can see the obituary by clicking on 'God's man.'
"So I'll stand / With arms high and heart abandoned in awe / Of the One who gave it all / Stand / My soul Lord to You surrendered/ All I am is Yours"
Many are the happy things that could be said about Larry, whose Elvis impersonation was particularly memorable and whose ability to appear somewhat angelic after unleashing the most devious of pranks was legendary. But for the purpose of public thought, one of the many things that struck me during Larry's most perfect of funerals was the question of his lack of financial planning, also legendary. Was this foolishness ... or was it faith? Within a culture that is brushed continuously by a nauseating swirl of rampant materialism lay a man and his family who relied on God to provide, who believed in Jehovah-jireh. I find such faith far more admirable than any amount of fortune.
It's true that there was no money for a funeral, but several churches came together and provided the money. When the true men of faith among us rely on God, God relies on his people to be his hands and feet. Is God finding you reliable?
Sitting among the hundreds of people at Larry's funeral (not to mention standing in line for nearly two hours at the funeral home the night before), you also had to contemplate the power of your own life, to wonder whether you're doing anything that makes a difference to one person, let alone to hundreds.
And you had to wonder why -- why our beloved Larry had to die of a heart attack at age 47, to leave, among scores of others, a 9-year-old son and his first grandchild, due in August.
Three of Larry's favorite praise and worship songs were part of the funeral, and on the last, the attendees were supposed to stand up, raise their hands and sing. One of the pastors pointed out that this was Larry's last laugh, of course, making the staid Baptists among us uncomfortably lift their arms elbow high, hoping no one would see them.
During the second song, however, Larry's wife stood up, alone among hundreds, and lifted her hands to the sky, singing along with "Our God is an Awesome God" -- self abandoned.
If she can leave the whys behind, I reckon I can, too.
Here are the lyrics to the last song. You can see the obituary by clicking on 'God's man.'
"So I'll stand / With arms high and heart abandoned in awe / Of the One who gave it all / Stand / My soul Lord to You surrendered/ All I am is Yours"
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