BIG JOHN’S BROTHER
Other episodes are posted below.
LeTourneau College and Longview, Texas, hold many fond and treasured memories. I was there from the fall, August (actually who ever heard of college starting before the middle of September? All my buddies were at home goofing off in the swimming pool and playing “dare base.”) Where was I? Oh yes. From August of 1965 to April of 1969. Incidentally, when we got around to April and I was home, getting the pick of summer jobs, I did not envy the “pool time” and games that the boys had.
I will probably dredge up several memories, or conflations in the immediate future so will put keyboard under finger tips....That doesn’t sound as poetic as, “take pen or quill in hand, and....” But it is more accurate. My fingers fly over the keys, stop, backup and make corrections, go on and...repeat.
One memory is tied to camp and my co-counselor, John. He also came from LeTourneau and I do not know of anyone else who went from Texas, or at least LeTourneau. Texas is a pretty big place and has a lot of colleges and Universities.
John is now in Pennsylvania so, if he lived there before, he didn’t have far to go. I lived in Nebraska, far, southwestern Nebraska. I drove for one whole day to get to New Lenox, Illinois, where I spent the night with my aunt and her husband, then drove on all the way to Coatsville, Pennsylvania. (Short, sad story there. May get to it later.) Then the next, the third day of travel, like Abraham, I lifted up my eyes and saw the “mountain,” the Adirondacks and was ready to “sacrifice” my summer. (Genesis 22)
I was repaid far more than I expended that season, and part of it was reported in earlier posts. (LeTourneau North, Schroon Lake.) After the exhilarating and enormously satisfying time there, I wondered home to Nebraska, and then back to LeTourneau. More stories there.
Back in the swing of things in Longview, I was introduced to Big John’s brother. He, likewise was a “big boy,” but I do not recall if he was taller than his brother or not. For the record, “Big” did not mean overweight, but tall and strongly built. No offense, boys.
Being a “mighty senior,” I did not have much interaction with John’s brother, but I did see him occasionally and even spoke to him. I was also very active in intercollege debate (lots of stories there) and was tied up and/or out of town much of the first one and one half semesters of 1969.
LeTourneau had a “spiritual emphasis week” within about a week or so of the beginning of each new semester. Maybe it was just second semester. My memory is that it was spring semester. We had special meetings during chapel (MWF or TT–remember those class designations? Or the dreaded TTS.) during chapel and in the evenings. After one of the meetings we had an “altar call,” for anyone who needed to dedicate or rededicate their lives or otherwise, do business with God. John’s little brother went forward.
I was pleased, thinking that he was going to follow John’s lead to serve the Lord, maybe even at Word of Life. Sometimes the leaders would have people give a testimony. John’s brother stood up.
What he said electrified me, and I think many others who were there.
Little brother began, “As you all know, I am Big John’s little brother. And all through my life I have followed him where ever he went. Coming here was more of the same. And everyone always assumed that since Big John was saved and living for the Lord, that I was too.
“I waited during high school and youth group for someone to ask me if I wanted to be saved.” Now that I think through this, I think that Sarge Grey probably decided to have John’s brother speak. Sarge was our campus pastor, college counselor, and confidant. He became a dear friend to me, and even visited me one time in East Peoria High School on one of his travels.
Sarge was a great soul winner and never missed a chance to tell others about Jesus. And he encouraged, urged, and prodded me, at least, and I bet everyone else whom he mentored to do the same. So John’s brother’s declaration shook all of us. (Side Story: Sarge told me that while he was stationed in Japan, after WWII, he met a Japanese who did not speak English. Sarge knew only a few words in Japanese, but witnessed to him anyway. “I don’t know if he got saved, but I will find out in heaven.”) Back to the story.
“I waited during high school and youth group for someone to ask me if I wanted to be saved.” He “wanted to get saved,” and no one asked him. I didn’t ask him. What if something had happened to him before he got asked? (I was not very theologically oriented then, but it is still sobering.) I, or anyone else who had met him could have led him to the Lord right on the spot. As Jesus told His disciples in John 4 the field is “white unto harvest.” Be a laborer. (John 4:35)
I have tried to be sensitive to opportunities to invite anyone that I can to believe on Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. I do not want to miss another “little brother.”
This series has had a focus on the outcasts of society, like druggies. It also saw an “up and out-er” who was a genius as well as an atheist confront his mistakes and become a Christian. Finally we saw an invisible member of society or even our family come to make a decision. Do not let time pass before you are assured that everyone within your circle of influence knows Jesus.
How about you? Have you prayed, like the drug addict, or the atheist I referenced before? Or are you invisible? God sees you and this is your invitation. Will you do it today? Contact me.
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