The Difference of One
"It was not a wasted life." So reads the front page of my hometown paper. Dr. Thomas Grams was a dentist in my home town of Durango, Colorado. He was mercilessly killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan a few weeks ago. Dr. Grams had retired from his practice in Durango to give his life away. He would go to the remotest parts of the world to give dental care to kids who needed it so desperately. Dr. Grams did not play it safe. Dr. Grams risked his life and paid with his life. So... was it a wasted life?
Dr. Grams could have retired in beautiful Durango. It really doesn't get much better than Durango. If he had chosen a different path, perhaps last week he would have gone out to eat with some friends, played a round of golf, went for a hike, played on the river, or went on vacation. But that was not the choice he would make for his life. He chose instead to give his life away. The children of the world had become his friends - he wanted to provide relief for those in pain, to show the children of the world someone cared.
Jesus said, "greater love has no man than this than he lay down his life for his friends." Dr. Grams laid down his life for children who never would be able to repay him. For children who desperately needed him. He paid for his decision with his life.
He is my hometown hero that I never met.
Wasted? No! Invested - yes!
He lived a life worth living. One with value, one with a legacy that will outlive any of us. Maybe it's time to take a deep look inside and see if you are willing to give your life away? People need what you have - give it away to the homeless, the fatherless, the poor.
Durango - is a good town, but we can go from a good town to a great town if we will live like Dr. Grams. A life worth living is life that gives our lives and possessions away for those in need.
DW, I read this the other day, and had to travel out of town for work. Just now getting around to commenting.
ReplyDeleteAs this is such a impacting post I didn't want to be flippant with a casual reply.
I must say that it stirred a range of emotions in me...
Some good and Christ like :o)
And some not so good and very of the flesh...
In my heart I can say that was a selfless decision and an honorable thing to do.
In my mind I'm kinda like, weren't there other country's that have needy children? Why Afghanistan? couldn't he have spent his life a little more frugally?
I have to be honest with you. I don't know if I could give my life away to that degree. But in saying that I don't want to stand in judgment of his decision. I know not what was in his heart and between him and Christ.
My mind says that if I have to sell my life, I will ask a higher price.
I hope if my heart asks I will give it away as selflessly....
just saying....
I've been thinking a lot about what it means to lose your life so you can find it. I've been meditating on the verse that say we are not our own, but we are bought with a price - the precious blood of Jesus. Nothing is higher than the price He paid. While we were sinners, He died for us.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Afghanistan is just as good a place as any to serve Christ by ministering to needy children. I heard people call Dr. Grams crazy.
Interestingly, on 9-11 scores of firemen, policemen, and rescue workers entered into the burning Twin Towers and gave their lives to try and save people in a hopeless situation. No one called them crazy. On the contrary, they are honored as heroes. Well, Afghanistan is burning. Dr. Gram is a hero.
Thanks for the post, Dwight. Hug Linny for me.
Lisa