Lessons I Have Learned From “The Man With Half a Brain”
By Steve Henry
Burke County
Lesson #5
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”(2nd Corinthians 4:7)
If I could think of a single verse in the entire Bible to describe my brother Doug this would be it. I have seen firsthand and have been the recipient of the power of God as it flows through Doug.
On many occasions, I asked him where he wanted me to read to him and invariably he would tell me Matthew 21.
As I read it to him I kept waiting for something to grab my attention as to why this passage of scripture was so important to him.
Finally, I asked him what he liked so well about this chapter. He tells me “His voice.” On another occasion he tells me “I just can’t forget it” (John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”).
Apparently, Doug was hearing something I couldn’t but with the Lord’s help I will get it.
My answer came at about 2 a.m. February 25, 2014.
In Matthew 21:3 Jesus makes what I think is a very unusual statement. He says “The Lord has need of them.” The Lord of Glory, Almighty God, has need of something?
If we are ever going to touch this world the way God wants, we could learn a few lessons on how to do it from Doug, “The Man With Half a Brain”.
He kept it simple.
In a previous story, we saw that Doug believed The Lord is His shepherd, therefore he shall not want, he is safe, it is well with his soul, and he knows His Shepherd is taking care of him.
God needs a people that will keep it that simple.
Doug loved his Savior above all else.
In Matthew 21:9 the people are crying “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”
Hosanna means “oh save; an exclamation of adoration.” Blessed means “to speak well of.”
God needs people who adore Him, who have looked to Him for salvation, and who speak well of Him in the face of a world that doesn’t seem to want to hear about His salvation. No matter what he was facing Jesus “is” the answer for Doug. When Mom was alive she and Doug were inseparable. I asked him one time who he wanted to see when he got to heaven. I assumed he would say Mom, but I wasn’t very surprised when he said Jesus. I asked him what he was going to do when he saw Him. His response was, “I’m going to give Him a hug and a kiss.
Doug was incredibly grateful and he never complained.
He was quick to praise God no matter what. If the sun is shining or it’s pouring rain Doug is quick to tell you “It’s a beautiful day.” When I picked him up from the Group Home on Saturday mornings it wasn’t too long until I would hear him say, “I get to go to church tomorrow!” During a hospital stay, he was diagnosed with a mild stroke. When his doctor asked him how he felt he said “I feel good, nothin’s ailing me.”
Doug loved to celebrate his birthday. After we would have his cake, give him his gifts, and sing happy birthday to him he always gave us that great smile of his and clapped with such an infectious joy that it would bring a smile to all around him. He was so grateful for such simple things.
There is one birthday in particular that has been etched into our memory forever when Doug told us “I want to thank Jesus for giving me another year.” We all got teary-eyed after that statement but there was not a dry eye in the house when he got up, went out on the back porch, looked up into the night sky, and said, “Thank you Jesus for giving me another year!”
God needs a people that will learn “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1st Thessalonians 5:18).
The attitude of gratitude will cause us to soar to the altitude where eagles fly.
He needs people who will quit cowering and put their enemy to flight by simply praising Him.
Doug didn’t doubt.
In Matthew 21:21-22 Jesus teaches that by our faith in Him, we can take authority over anything that rises against us, and by prayer, we can remove any obstacle we encounter.
Apparently, when he talked to His Shepherd he believed. He listened and responded to him.
God needs a people who will pray with the indisputable authority Jesus Christ has given us and believe that He listens to us and grants the petitions we ask of Him.
Indeed Doug was the recipient of God’s amazing grace and a vessel that He used to impart that grace to me and others.
Well done, good and faithful servant. We love you.
__________________________________________
Steve Henry has been a lifelong resident of Burke County. God blessed him with an incredible lady that he has been married to for 43 years. He has also blessed Steve with two wonderful children and two beautiful granddaughters.
Today’s Christian can Read more Christian news here.
__________________________________________
