A Life of Remaining
A few days ago I received word my great-grandmother, Nannie is what we called her, had passed away. She celebrated her 99th birthday last month. She saw the great depression, a world war and the moon landing. She lived through 17 presidencies - from Calvin Coolidge to Joe Biden. She was a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and even a great-great-grandmother! She was a teacher. She was an encourager. She was a devoted follower of Jesus. I’m grateful to have known her.
When I was a child, learning to play the guitar, she often asked me to play for her. We’d be at Thanksgiving or a Christmas party and she’d say, “Caleb, let’s go into the other room. I want to listen to your music!” As I attempted to strum the 3 chords I knew, she would smile and nod along. It wasn’t until years later I realized she was going deaf! She couldn’t hear a note. She just wanted to encourage me. She took Hebrews 10:24 seriously: Spur one another on in love and good deeds.
As I reflect on the moments I’ve spent with her Proverbs 3:1-6 comes to mind. The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon - the wisest man to have ever lived. He writes to instruct his readers on living a wise life, a life that’s pleasing to God. I believe her life was a pleasing offering to Him.
Here’s what he says:
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
I’ve never known someone more devoted to the Word of God than Nannie. Proverbs 3:1 instructs readers not to forget Solomon’s teachings. I think we can safely expand that to include the rest of scripture as well. I remember her once saying we ought always be memorizing scripture because “you never know when you might need it.” If Solomon is right, it was this love for the Word that gave her a long life. Later on in his book Solomon says this about a long life: “Gray hair is a crown of splendor. It is attained in the way of righteousness.” (Proverbs 16:31) She learned righteousness by reading the Word. She continued in the way of righteousness by following the instructions in verses 3 through 6.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
I’m not sure faithfulness is natural for people. It seems to me it’s a skill to be developed. Nannie developed that skill by following Jesus. She knew Him to be loving and faithful. That’s what allowed her to be. Driving her home one evening, several years ago, she told me this: "I can look back over 93 years - through marriage, raising children, jobs, all of life - and I can say that I haven't always been faithful, but God has always been faithful."
In her humility, she downplayed her own faithfulness and highlighted the Lord’s. In a way, I think that alone is proof of her love for and faithfulness to Him. Although I’m sure it’s true she had moments of sin or struggling faith, it seems she learned more and more each day about the love and faithfulness of her Savior and in turn modeled her life after His. If anyone has won favor and a good name in the eyes of both God and man, I believe it’s her.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
The words of Solomon in verses 5 and 6 remind me much of the words of Jesus in John 15:4: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” My great-grandmother’s life was a life of remaining. Trusting in the Lord. Looking to His Word for understanding. Submitting to His will and His way. After 99 years, I believe she would have told you that He did indeed make her paths straight. That He was a lamp to her feet and light to her path (Psalm 119:105). She certainly saw times of trouble: losing her husband, losing a daughter, living on next to nothing. But by following the Lord, she, like the psalmist in Psalm 23, lacked nothing.
Generations have been impacted by Nannie’s love for the Lord. Her quiet devotion to Him. She came to Christ as a young woman. Later she taught her children about Jesus. They taught theirs as well. Her grandchildren continued the pattern. Her great-grandchilren are doing the same. One day her great-great-grandchilren will as well. I hope our family can be described the same way she is: A family that never misses an opportunity to encourage someone. A family that loves Word of God. One that trusts Jesus. One that is faithful to His commands. A family that is favored in the eyes of both God and man. I hope we can be described as a family who remains near to the Vine.
Although I’m saddened to hear of her passing, I have great joy knowing she is with her Savior. There is no place she would rather be than at His feet.