Letters From Grandpa #587

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 587

Dearest grandchild,

Todays letter will be about Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV) This Scripture provides no other option – you must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland on November 25, 1835. His family was so poor they had to borrow money to immigrate to the United States. In 1848 Andrew got his first job at the age of 12. He was a bobbin boy at a cotton mill. This small boy worked diligently 12 hours a day and 6 days a week for only $1.20. In 1849, at age 14, he got a better job working at the Ohio Telegraph Company. Due to his diligence this company promoted him to be an operator in only one year. The rewards he received for diligence shaped his life. By the time he was 30 he was making $50,000 per year. By 1901 he was the richest man in the world with wealth valued at $309 billion in today’s currency. His success was not an accident! It was the result of hard work and diligence. His life would have been much different if he had not been rewarded for his diligence.

The late John Brown was a businessman who owned Mizzou Aviation in Joplin, Mo. Sadly, as a young man he abandoned his Christian faith and devoted himself to making money. John logged over 20,000 hours as a pilot and was authorized by the FAA to issue pilot’s licenses and ratings. John was also an authorized Piper dealer. Obviously he attained a certain level of success as a businessman.

Paul warned Timothy against loving money: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10. This was precisely what happened to John. Fortunately, John had a nearly fatal heart attack. The doctor in the ER had to defibrillated him 26 times before establishing a regular heart beat. This traumatic experience brought him back to his Christian roots and he became one of the most dedicated Christians I have ever known! John was bold in his witness for Christ and even rebuked my by saying - “You knew I was going hell, why didn’t you say something”? I had no excuse. By the grace of God we remained good friends and even went together on a mission trip to Africa. John made many other mission trips on his own. John was a “by the book” flight instructor, and also a “by the book” Christian.

Here is one of John’s many insights regarding the “average Christian.” He lamented that the “average Christian” worships his work, works at his play, and plays at his worship!

• Yes! It does seem that many Christians value their job more than anything else. Consequently, their boss gets top priority! Too often the boss’s words carry more weight than even the Bible. Sadly, worshiping “work” more than “God” is a form of idolatry!
• John’s was part of a glider club at the Joplin Regional Airport. He was amazed at how much “work” he did for this “recreation”. Each member invested money for the glider, the tow plane, the hanger rent, and the insurance. Each flight required the teamwork of several others. Someone had to be in the glider, someone else towing it, and someone else walking and holding the wing to keep it from dragging. Further, flying the glider also required that someone shut down an active runway. Truly, John confessed that he was “working at his play”.
• Lamentably, worship is often last on our list of priorities. The man who will get up before dawn to go flying, golfing, hunting, or fishing, often finds any “excuse” to avoid going to church.

Seventeen years after his near death experience John climbed into a church van to pick up some men at a half way house who had just gotten out of prison. Every Saturday John and his crew provided these men with an old fashioned biscuit and gravy breakfast. Then they taught them the Word of God and encouraged them to follow Christ! On this morning, however, John died at the steering wheel before he even started the van. It was January 4, 2017. He was 76 years old.

Fortunately God gave John Brown 17 years of service so he could lay up treasures in heaven. Jesus promised over and over that our diligence in serving Him would be rewarded - (See Matthew 5:12; 6:1-6, 16-18, etc.) Nothing could be more clear. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Before every flight a pilot needs to make a thorough pre-flight inspection. When you are thousands of feet above the ground you cannot casually pull over to the side of the road if you have a problem. John’s diligence as a pilot enabled him to fly safely over 20,000 hours. His diligence as a Christian enabled him to successfully make his final flight to glory - “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” (Psalms 90:10) PLEASE BE PREPARED FOR YOUR OWN LAST FLIGHT!

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce