…In fact, Willie Nelson’s sights seemed to be set a mite low when he penned the words to “
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.” In another antithetical anthem he warns mothers everywhere
not to let your babies grow up to be one. Willie’s advise: “let ‘em pick guitars and drive them ole trucks, let ‘em be doctors and lawyers and such.”
I guess “Preachers” didn’t rhyme too well with the song – or maybe Willie has even less reverence for the reverend as he does the range roving wrangler. As far as song’s go, I have to side with Mike Bowling and the Crabb Family and “
Thank God For The Preacher.” I have this song on 3 of my 5 blog sites that speaks of the thankless job the Preacher does but tells people about Jesus and helps to change lives for Christ.
As far as heroes go – outside of a couple of family members – my heroes have always been Clergies. One hero of mine went home last week. Instead of being saddened, I choose to rejoice because he is where I long to be one day and it has been his encouragement and teaching during my early years as a ministerial student that kept me faithful to what God called me to do.
Even in times of discouragement – it is a mans hero that sometimes sits on his shoulder and quietly reminds him of the example he was and motivates him to go a little further down the road, motivated by trying to live up to his hero’s example.
My Hero – who never had the ability to leap tall buildings, transcend time, self-heal, read minds or any other super natural fantasy – used to tell me that “if you can’t find a church to pastor – start one.” He never met a stranger, and he never let a waiter or waitress come in and out of his lunch hour without asking if they knew the Lord. In fact – my hero was so sensitive to others, in order to protect a Waffle House Short Order cook one night after a Free Will Baptist Convention had let out and descended upon this understaffed dive, he went to the back of the counter where the cook was, grabbed an apron and a spatula and said “move over – I’ll help you serve this mob.”
My hero loved his truck and drove it all over the country preaching the gospel in revival services. In restaurants and hotels, telling people personally about a personal Savior, setting the example to young preachers like me – who will probably never live up to the reputation and standard he leaves behind. He would drive down the interstate with his puppet – a frog – and when he would pass other vehicles on the interstate he would use that puppet to talk to kids in other cars – and maybe adults too. At the next rest stop – if they happened to pull in too – he would have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.
I’ll never forget sitting in my hero’s office and the phone rang…it was a wrong number. He said to the caller “Maybe this isn’t the wrong number. Maybe you got the right number and I may be just the person you need to talk to – do you know Jesus as your savior?” What a Soul Winner! If the Bible is true – and I know that it is – it says:
He that wins souls is wise. My hero must be one of the wisest men in our generation. He lived to win someone to Jesus. “Hallelujah” and “Praise the Lord” were two phrases always on his lips - sometimes to the chagrin of others (I say let them just keep
chagrinnin'). He preached 90 mph and had almost as many stories to tell in his sermons – or was that the same story I just heard that many times…but I never got tired of them. One thing I do know about my hero is that he was sold out and never let that hinder his quest for preaching the gospel.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: “
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.” In his twilight years my hero was pastor of a church; his age was showing considerably, his knees were giving way to age as well. Most of us would have retired – my hero stayed in
five minutes longer. One Thursday night visitation – my hero came to a home with a staircase to the front door. His knees wouldn’t let him climb the steps – so instead of turning around and leaving or going to another house – he got on his hands and knees and literally
crawled up the stairs to knock on a door for the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. If I ever met a truly biblical evangelist - my heroe fits that calling.
I never heard my hero talk about going to Heaven to see his loved ones – but it was always to see Jesus and take as many people with him as he could. Today, my hero is not hindered by hurting knees or failing heart. He is able to transcend the time and space continuum (I guess they can do that in Heaven). He doesn’t grow breathless after a walk, but I’m sure he runs down the streets of Heaven paved with gold. He doesn’t crawl up steps of humility anymore – he sits humbly at the Savior’s feet - the Savior he shared with so many people. I know last week he must have heard the words we all long to hear some day “
Well done – thou good and faithful servant – enter into your rest.”
Bob Shockey (1927- 2008) – A generation of Christians and preachers will miss you – and may we
never forget the Soul Winning Preacher from Kentucky.
