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UNCLE MARTIN
The first thing that I remember about my Uncle Martin is
a sort of twisted, mischievous smile and the twinkle in
his eyes. It never changed as long as I knew him. Two
weeks ago, in his 90’s, he went to heaven. He died.
He was one of the 5 most influential people in my life.
He taught me about Christianity. He taught me what
Christianity was not! Perhaps a strange statement but it
is true.
His behaviour was beyond reproach. He never had a
cross word or an evil word toward anyone. He was
respectful of all people and tolerant beyond belief. He
was honest and supported his family and loved them
and they knew it.
He loved me.
He loved and supported
his in-laws. He and his father-in-law, (my grand dad)
had many, many projects in our big family together.
I remember a conversation between him and another
person that I overheard one day. A person was trying to
get uncle Martin “saved”, because uncle Martin ,to my
knowledge, didn’t verbalize everything that the
“Christian people” verbalized about being a “Christian”.
When the person asked for an answer to his
statements, uncle Martin with that ever-present twinkle
in his eyes, looked at him and said,” -----(name withheld)
I live what you believe better than you do and I don’t
even profess what you do about it”.
I realized at that moment Christianity was not about a
set of behavioral rules. His life was everything that
anybody's little black book could require but he didn’t
jump thru the hoops they wanted him to. His
relationship to Jesus Christ was personal.
The influence of that conversation has kept me on track
all of my life. There is hardly a day goes by that at
some point I don’t remember him.
When I looked at his life compared to all of the other
junk that was presented to me as Christianity, the
hypocrisy of the people who meant well but couldn’t
perform well, I came to understand that faith and grace
is what
Christianity is.
Uncle Martins wonderful example of morals and ethics
and all of the other stumbling,
bumbling, and failing
(including mine) actions that are always around us simply
are not what Christianity is about.
Gods grace covers us while His spirit changes us.
My Uncle Martin showed me what Christianity is not, by
doing so God showed me what Christianity
is………………………David
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