Let me tell you of our good friends. Tony and Sarah live in Cincinnati. Enise and I have known them for a long time; I did their wedding in Skagway, Alaska six years ago. Next Satuday, I'll do Tony's funeral.
I baptized Tony last year while he was in the hospital just before his first brain cancer surgury. It wasn't a rash decision. Tony had been thinking about it for quite some time. Then, suddenly, the awful headaches started, the scans were done, and the tumor was found. Tony finally decided it was time to act.
As frustrating as it was to see Tony delay this act of faith, it was just as rewarding to see how strong his faith was really was after he found out about his illness. How can relatively new Christians find such strenght in God? For the whole time he knew he was sick, Tony's courage did not waver (at least not outwardly). His thinking was like this; that if he was able to defeat his cancer, he wins. But even if he dies from his cancer, he still wins. Tony wanted to live. He loved his wife very much, and he wanted a longer life with her. He also wanted to do more for God's Kingdom.
But he also realized, like Paul, that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
Frankly, I would expect such strong resolve from Sarah. She's been a Christian her whole life; she is rock-solid in the Faith. I've met most of her family, and they're all this way. I think she's one of God's favorites. When trouble comes my way, she'd be a good example to follow.
But how about Tony? Who would have thought that a brand-new believer like him could inspire an old-timer like me? I just finished writing Tony's funeral message while sitting here at a Starbucks in Istanbul. One of his requests was that I come back to do his service. Enise and I are sorry that Tony is dead. We feel so badly for Sarah, but we know her faith is strong. We rejoice in knowing that Tony is with God.
Tony and Sarah have taught us a lot.
