True Worth is in the Adjectives

I felt like David in the land of the Giants.

I’ve never seen an assemblage of men this size. One by one, they walked single file by the open casket. One by one, each paid tribute to a man who changed their lives. Most of these giants shed tears. Many passed by with look of confusion, shaking their heads, wondering if this was really true. How could he be gone? Where had he gone…somewhere other than this earth? Watching from the 2nd row, I found that the gravity of the moment was overwhelming.

The sanctuary was filled with a virtual who’s who in the world of Dallas/ Fort Worth sports. Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers filled the seats. Whether their trade was football, baseball, coaching or ownership, they all came under one roof for the same purpose…to pay their final respects to an amazing man who changed their hearts, not just the world around them.

In order to assemble this kind of talent and fame, surely this man must have had his life described as “powerful, rich, good-looking, talented, driven and successful.” After all, that’s where true worth resides….right? The more of each that you posses the better off you are…right? Surprisingly, none of the thirteen people who eulogized their father and friend used any of those adjectives to describe John Webber. No, the man that packed out the church with the rich and famous was described much differently than that.

John was described as “a wonderful father and husband, a lover of God, faithful, passionate, full of integrity, a man with purpose, compassionate, servant-hearted, humble and simple.” This is what brought these giants to their knees? These are the words used to describe a man who affected such a diverse group of successful people? Yes. The most unlikely man had the most incredible impact on their lives. John was described as “colorblind and power blind.” It didn’t matter who you were or where you were from, he would listen to you, give you a bear hug, look you in the eyes and tell you that he loved you.

Life can be summed up in the adjectives.

What words could be used to best describe you, and will describe you one day, when you move on from this life? Will they be words that will leave a legacy, or are they adjectives that only matter in the living years?

Each one of John’s five children touched on one of his resonant teachings…”Do not strive to be spectacular, but faithful.” John was faithful…first and foremost to his God, then to his family and lastly to others.

I sat amazed at the impact that this man had on so many diverse lives. I wondered what I am doing now that is leaving a legacy with my family and my friends. I wondered how often I find myself striving for adjectives that could describe accomplishments on earth, but yet have little to no eternal value. Unfortunately, too often. As I exited through the maze of giants in the lobby, I wondered whose life was forever changed because of what they witnessed today. I prayed that those who sat in that audience will live differently because their lives have been touched by such a simple man with a humble spirit. I know that I left a different man…and I’ve never met him.

It’s never too late to alter your adjectives. Live differently.