Thank You Victor

(precious and faithful)

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. —Psalm 116:15

I met Victor one day at CenterPoint, and what caught my eye was his exuberance. Victor shined with the love of Christ.

One day he said, “Pastor, can we get together?” So, we meet at a local coffee shop and he shared with me how he had begun following Jesus: how he went from homelessness as a boy (in the 1960’s) to following Jesus through the Jesus Movement in Southern California. He told me how a Christian couple took him in and loved him in a way he had never experienced.

Jesus—through His people—changed Victor’s life.

He shared how he went through a number of ups and downs, but the love of God had been with him through every high and low. As we spoke, I asked him if we would like to be part of a group we were about to launch, called “the Disciple-making Path,” and his eyes lit up—he was totally down for it.

Victor—a 68 year-old man—wanted to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Wow! Wherever you are in your life, it’s never too late to keep growing.

Victor started up with our new group and he rocked it. When he spoke, he brought wisdom and experience to the group, all of whom were younger than he was. He came every week ready and read-up on that week’s devotionals.

The group took a break this summer, and he was looking forward to the upcoming group time this fall, and start year two—that is, after he returned from a trip to Europe he and his wife Lesa would be taking this next month. Victor and his wife Lesa hosted exchange students in their home and were looking forward to visiting them in their home country for a few weeks.

We got the news this last Tuesday night that Victor passed quietly in his sleep. He had been called home to be with One he loved and served for over 40 years.

Victor reminded me that our time here is short: we don’t know how long we have, but one day we will join him in leaving this world.

Moses asked God: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” There is wisdom in remembering the brevity of this life. And although I will miss him dearly, I know that there is no place safer for him than the arms of Christ.

But there is something new that Victor taught me in his passing, and it is in his name.

 Victor.

John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, wrote ‘Every child of God is victorious over the world’ —1 John 5:4. John says those who follow Jesus are “victors.” And by the “world,” John means we are victors over the values of this world system—that Jesus’ followers will overcome the corruption and evil of this world and ultimately overcome even death itself.

 Victor is a victor.

 And Victor isn’t actually dead; he is more alive today than he has ever been. He is standing in the presence of Christ and one day he will accompany Jesus when He returns to bring God’s Kingdom to this world and restore what was lost in the fall.

 And what a day that will be.