Honor to Whom Honor is Due

It was an email that carried the news. It was one of those things that catches you off guard and makes you think. I needed to express my appreciation, my honor of their work, so I wrote my email and addressed it to their daughter. It was my way of giving honor to whom honor is due, based on  Romans 13:7.

I was told yesterday that Mrs. Scott went to be with the Lord that morning. You will note that even after all these years it was and still is Brother and Mrs. Scott. I have been thinking a lot about both of them since receiving that news. And about their Legacy.

I was a young, immature know it all when I came to Freed Hardeman College in the summer of 1967. Hopefully I have grown out of at least two of those afore mentioned items. That summer I enrolled in your Dad's world history class and entered a world of discovery. As a result I think I took every class your Dad offered into Acts and Church History. I also had the opportunity to have your Mom for British Literature when I learned the prologue to the "Cranberry" Tales. (my name for them). Which to this day I try to work those words into many of my presentations (I learned it so I want to use it).

As you already know, both of your parents worked with me on my commentaries on WFHC-FM. I would write, they would comment in red, I would rewrite, they would comment in red again and finally when they approved, I would record and air the result of our collaborations. There were times when it wasn't so pleasant, probably for all three of us, but we kept at it.

When I came to Herald of Truth one of the first things I noted as I looked at our donor base was your Mom's name. In fact I wrote on her receipt asking if she had taught at Freed and in fact had she been my teacher. Her response was that in fact she was. For 29 years your parents contributed to the work of Herald of Truth, most of that time sending their gifts monthly.

Your parent's legacy is multifaceted. They have helped more people know Jesus through their gifts of money to Herald of Truth, their local church and numerous other efforts that they championed. They taught students not just the facts of their respective disciplines, but also about God and His Son.

There is a personal legacy that I hold. For they shared with me a quiet determination to finish even when things become unpleasant. They shared with me a sense of discovery and appreciation for things that I view as different. They shared their time, energy and counsel with a young, immature, know it all, who years later still cherishes those memories.

You already know these things from your personal closeness to your family. I hope knowing that when your Mom joins your Dad in Heaven, there will be people there they know and then someone will approach them and say: " you don't know me, but you taught so in so, and they taught so in so, and they taught so in so, who taught me about Jesus. So I wanted to thank you for sharing your faith with all of us." I pray that this will ease a bit of the loss you feel.

We should acknowledge those influences before the eulogies. Let me know what you think. Write me at bbrant@heraldoftruth.org or join our blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.