Submitted by Dr. Robert F. Lane on
So I gave Wendell the mild office chemotherapy thinking it was little more than a placebo and pretty soon I started seeing what a Windrunner looks like. There was no wild spiritualizing, no touting God’s grace, love and power, and no boasting about his own faithfulness and commitment, no claiming what God owed him or how God was certain to rescue him. He simply went on with his family life, loving his wife and raising his daughters and son -- and with his ministry – but with even more power and eloquence. There was a peace about him I could little fathom nor much understand. It seemed like the cares of this world blew by him without ever breaking his stride, altering his focus or tarnishing the quiet smile on his face.
INADEQUACY AND VULNERABILITY
All of life has a way of pointing out our inadequacies often getting help along the way from parents, spouses or employers. A cancer diagnosis adds one more voice of incrimination to that storehouse of brokenness, shame and guilt that we try to keep hidden or disguised. Some facing cancer play a charade of continuing all of their usual activities for as long as possible, as if nothing has happened. Some are brash: “It’s no big deal. I’m going to beat it” or “God will cure me.” Others just hide. Not so for Wendell.
If cancer makes one feel defective the first impulse can be to seek refuge by disengaging from relationships, responsibilities, hobbies, and new endeavors– but that has a cost: loss of connectedness with those who can validate, love and encourage us; even loss of self worth and identity. Not so with Wendell. He chose a path of even greater engagement, daring to share the challenges and dangers he faced right from the pulpit and with everyone he encountered.
He was a leader and leaders are supposed to be strong – but he chose a different kind of leadership. No false bravado, no cover-up, no righteous posturing. Right when illness was producing inescapable weakness, instead of hiding, he became more vulnerable and authentic with everyone - and they loved him. In the face of physical uncertainty, risk and peril, his confidence in God’s purpose and provision shown through. It inhabited his preaching and amplified his words. Lives around him changed.
Ps - He went into remission the next week and seldom missed a Sunday on the pulpit for nearly 2 yrs. How was that possible ? Where does that kind of TRUST come from.
Blessings come in many flavors and it is not always remission or longer life. It is not how Blessed Wendell was that blew me away, nor what Wendell did with the extra time. Both are wonderful. But it is what was behind Wendell's ability to make that decision that I want to talk about because it is what made all the difference and is possible for everyone.
Add new comment