The western banks of the Hudson River in New York used to be the anchorage point for dozens of WW II battle ships. For decades their shells bobbed lifelessly as they awaited the inevitable time when they would be dragged out to sea and used for target practice or simply sunk.
These ships once sailed the wartime oceans filled with fuel, munitions, and supplies that would launch an army into the heart of the Axis empire. But, for the last several decades, they have simply been a shadow of their former usage.

I realized he was like those ships—once useful, now overlooked in his contribution to the lives of countless others. He appeared to be waiting for the time when he could be taken to sea and sunk. The passion was gone from his voice—the glint from his eye.
Yet, I knew him as a man full of passion—full of purpose. He was the type of individual who inspired others to reach for greatness. He never accepted excuses—a no nonsense kind of guy. He affected the lives of all who dared to risk the inevitable challenges they knew came from simply being in his presence. He made people want to try harder—to excel at life and ministry. Now, he visibly mirrored a passionless heart.
I couldn’t help but wonder if his perspective would have been different if he knew the real impact he had on so many younger men who emulated his style and drive.
I remember mostly the pace of his life and the things he accomplished. I remember his excellent Bible studies—the kind that makes a person say, “Wow! I never saw that before!” But I also remember watching him look down, shake his head in apparent futility, and walk away muttering something to himself as if trying come to grips with his disappointment.
If you haven’t guessed by now, I believe that how we end up is more important than how we start out. My dear friend lost something along the way that he never recovered. In his final years he lived without the acclaim he rightly should have enjoyed, yet he finished his race just ahead of the dark cloud that had nearly engulfed him earlier.
1 comments:
I think I know that guy, too.
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