The measure of a man

Tonight, my family and I visited with an elderly man, in his early nineties, who is in the hospital. His condition is stable which we were very thankful for. As we sat and talked he began to share a number of stories from his childhood. He told us stories about trapping rabbits and selling them to the local market for 20 cents each. That was how he made his money as a teen. One time, when the price of the rabbits was falling, he knew that if he drove the 12 miles into town to the market to sell the rabbits, what money he would make would be lost just in gas, so, he put on a belt and strapped 56 rabbits all around him and began his trek, the 12 long miles, by foot toward the market in town. Thankfully, he mused, a vegetable truck drove by and offered him a ride into town. He graciously accepted.

He shared with us the story, also, of when he was about 9 or 10 years old, and he and some friends were playing on some of the neighbors land when they saw the nest of a hen chicken. In it were eggs, so the boys, he stated, “Myself, included” took the eggs and brought them into town where they sold them at the market and split the money between them. With his cut he bought a fishing hook, bobber, and some line which he put to quick use. After bringing home some fish and showing his mother she asked, “How did you catch these fish?” He said, “I used this tackle” showing the hook, bobber, and line to his mother. She asked where he got the tackle and he explained what the boys had found and their industrious plan which they had carried out. Mom was not happy. She made him go into town, sell the tackle back to the market, and march right out to the owner of the land, and the eggs that were lying quietly in the nest and offer the money to him in exchange for the eggs. He got up the courage and confronted the man, offering the money for what he had done. The man accepted his apology, but would not take the money, but told him to keep it instead. He refused to keep it – knowing what would be waiting for him at home if he came back with the money.

He said that he would never forget this lesson of character – the importance of not stealing and taking what is not rightfully yours. I was glad that he had shared the lesson. When these types of situations come upon us when we are children, the mark they leave is indelible and their value is priceless. It is truly a lesson for all of us to remember. But, he said something else while we were there that really hit home. Even though he was lying on his bed with tubes and the haberdashery which is standard fair in hospitals all around, when my wife mentioned , “The church is praying for you” his response was the sign of true Christian maturity and the measure of a real man. He said, “I’m praying for them” and from the earnestness of his tone and the somewhat dire nature of his environs, you simply knew he meant it. Always taking his mind off himself and projecting his thoughts – off of his situation, his pain, his potentially sorrowful reality – and offering encouragement and outflowing concern for others.

This is real “agape” love. This is the measure of a man. This is what Ephesians 4:13 is discussing when the Apostle Paul states the goal that each of us should have when “…we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” This is what true Christianity is all about. A wholly conquered attitude and approach – living the give way of life through obedience to God’s law. If my years are 90 and some, my hope is to have this same exemplary attitude to share with others.