this evening, i attended a memorial service for one of my profs. he died unexpectedly last wednesday of a brain aneurysm. i had him for one semester in first year, but i never really got to know him. being there at the memorial and hearing all the stories about him sort of made me regret not dropping by to see him more. whenever he saw me in the halls, he'd always tell me, "don't be a stranger now!" but i guess i kept myself a stranger.
anyway, from the reflections of all the people who shared tonight, it was obvious that this man lived his life well. he had a passion for living and his positive attitude radiated out to touch countless numbers of people. person after person went up to share about how he had believed in them and by doing so, he taught them how to believe in themselves. they mentioned that he was so proud of all his students but he had a really humble heart (before becoming a theatre professor, he'd studied both medicine and law). he stood for things he believed in and he encouraged everyone around him, whether they were his students or his colleagues. he was a Jewish man, and although i didn't know him well, i would not be surprised if his qualities came from being close to God (but i don't know that as a fact).
here was a man who was unafraid to invest himself in the people around him. here was a man who knew how to love. here was a man who had actually lived.
i was challenged tonight. challenged to love the people around me more. challenged to seize each opportunity to connect. challenged to stand by my convictions. challenged to give my life away for the sake of Christ. why? 'cuz i saw the truth; that in giving my life away, i gain more than i could ever get by keeping it. 'cuz giving my life away gives rise to other lives.
one last thought from the service, it was spoken by one of the students:
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for [Jesus] will save it.
~Luke 9:24~
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