Learning from Gary

Unfathomable

I want to tell you a little about Gary. Gary is a man I have gotten to know a little through a Bible study I conduct at a living facility near my church.

Some years ago Gary was very severely injured in a motorcycle accident. He is mostly unable to walk and speaks very slowly and unclearly. I don’t really know his whole story, because it is difficult to talk with him. He comes to the Bible study almost every week. He will often chime in with one word here and there or even break out into a familiar song associated with the particular passage. His comments are always right on the point. He had been an active part of a church at some point in his life.

A couple of months ago I was teaching Philippians 3: 21 “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” I remember how poignant it was teaching this to someone who obviously needed it so badly. I am sure, on the other hand, that all of us need this transformation to the same extent, we are just not as aware of it as Gary. At that time he worked hard to repeat “lowly body?”

The funniest thing he ever said to me, was one time that Jorgen, my son, was with me at the study. I was talking about the exciting time when Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection. John 21 records that when Peter heard that it was the Lord on the shore, “he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.” I mentioned that Peter had taken off his outer clothes for the fishing and was only wearing his underwear. Then Gary said something loudly. He said “bunuggers, bunuggers.” I paused looking puzzled at him. Then I realized he was saying “bun huggers” as a reference to Peter’s underwear. We all roared with laughter. I will never forget “bun huggers.”

Today though was the sweetest ever. I came in as usual and just three men gathered around the table to read with me. I was reading from Colossians 1: 15 – 20. (My previous blog came from this study.) I am feeling a little down today, and fairly weak. So I was relishing the beautiful strong words about Jesus. As I was describing the greatness of Jesus, Gary worked up to say “unfathomable.” Yes I agreed that Jesus Christ is beyond our ability to fully understand. Well, when the study was over, I closed in prayer and said my good-byes. As I was leaving the room Gary called me back as he was rolling toward me in his wheelchair. When I got close to him he looked at me and said “Hey, I love you.” Strangely, this is exactly what I needed to hear today. I asked Gary to pray for me today, and he said he would. What a joy and a privilege to know Gary.