People Who Know Jesus
What does God want of us?
Read Time: 3 minutes
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Heb 12:1).1All Scriptural citations are taken from the New American Standard Bible.
I found Bro. George Booker’s articles on “People Jesus Knew” to be very refreshing and encouraging. I thought I might try to write about people of faith who know Jesus today. People that have had a great influence on me and others and have influenced our character.
You have no doubt met people who, in your mind, exemplify Jesus in the way they live. Their love for God and Jesus echoes in their lives and gives you the motivation to try to do the same.
After talking about the faith of great men like Abraham and Moses and great women such as Rahab, the writer to the Hebrews says:
People we know have not had such harrowing events but have had severe trials and, because of their faith, have endured and persevered through them.
My first example is a most amazing sister whose great faith encouraged me. She was a humble woman, meek, kind, and gentle. She was generous and hospitable, never turning anyone away. She reminds me of what the Apostle Paul said about discipleship:
She had four children but lost a few more through miscarriages along the way. She lost her husband early and brought her family up with little but much love. She read her Bible daily, and, despite her trials, her faith continued to shine through. She was also very wise, and her advice given in love was always appreciated.
One of her greatest loves in later years was her grandchildren. I can see the gleam in her eyes even now as she held her first grandson on her knees on the front porch of the family home. She loved more than words can express. Her trials continued as she developed cancer and still went on working to provide for her family. She never gave up. Perseverance was her forte as well. She would sit in the living room on the rocker with her Bible on her lap, reading about the Kingdom and Jesus.
She loved more than words can express.
She believed in the power of prayer. In her final days, living with terrible pain, she asked the arranging board to come and pray for her. They came, and her love and faith moved all. She loved singing hymns. She had a beautiful soprano voice. When her mother and aunt would come and sing with her, it was like having angels in your living room. They were angels, saints—faithful in Christ Jesus.
She passed away, dying in great pain but having joy before her and leaving behind a wonderful example of faith and love to those she touched with her heart and soul. She never wrote a book. She never went to university. She never achieved greatness in this world. But she did obtain a crown and will be there when our Lord returns to welcome her into his arms of love. She was a woman of faith.
Faith is not about doing great works. It is about living a life of trust in God and Jesus and doing your best with the talents that God has given you. It is about standing up for what you believe when necessary and treating others better than yourself. What does God want of us?
Rick Hill,
Picton Ecclesia, ON