“GRRRRRREAT!”

I oftentimes joke that going anywhere with Piper made me look good!  Her sparkling personality and precious smile always seemed to draw the attention of others when we walked into a room. And I can’t say that I ever saw anyone’s smile turn upside down when they moved their eyes from her to the guy standing next to her.  I would think that their first, positive impression of her just naturally became their impression of me as well.  I mean let’s face it… I’d imagine that they would think that if she allowed me to walk in with her… and most likely holding hands… that I must be a good guy as well… right?

Okay… all jest aside… I actually did have similar thoughts this morning, about how Piper looked to others whenever she came into their presence.  She did have that sparkling personality, killer smile and innate joy that seemed to encapsulate her entire being.  I can hardly tell of a time when people didn’t go out of their way to extend kindness to her.  But I firmly believe that the drawing card that she possessed went way beyond her physical appearance and uplifting personality.

She was the first person that I had ever met, that wore her faith like a perfectly fit, custom tailored dress.  Simply said… her faith in God was who she was!  It came out with every thought she had, with every word she spoke, and most definitely, with every action she took.

I had been raised as a sincere Catholic and taught that our faith was a very personal and private thing.  And then along comes this freckle faced, enthusiastic, happy and tremendously funny Christian young lady who swept me off my feet.   Like I’ve stated many times before, she talked about Jesus like He was her best friend with whom she interacted with on a consistent basis! 

I had NEVER met anyone like her (nor have since) that lived their faith like that.  I quickly realized that her Christian ways didn’t scare me off, but instead, drew me in with a growing hunger to have whatever she had… and at the same level and depth that she did!  She was a living, breathing, 24 hour a day advertisement for Jesus Christ.

I had to smile and shed a tear or two as I studied my Bible this morning, when I read from Ephesians 1:19 and saw how Piper was the perfect embodiment of Paul’s prayer where he wrote, “I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you!” (The Passion Translation) 

You see, Piper’s faith in God not only radiated from her, but it also made her look more attractive to others.  And don’t get me wrong, I am talking about an attraction that went far beyond her physical accoutrements.  I’m describing the love, peace and joy that only Jesus can provide, that tended to flow from her and splash liberally onto others.  I can’t tell you how many times fellow shoppers in the stores we went into, neighbors, new comers to the church or family and friends opened up to her and asked for her counsel and/or encouragement when going through rough times in their lives.  It would not be unusual to find her sitting with someone else after church in the back of the room, or on the corner of the couch at a family gathering, closely listening with loving attentiveness, to the one in need.

Ephesians 1:19 tells us that the immeasurable greatness of God’s power is available to you and me through the active use of our faith, and with that power working in us, we are an attention grabbing, Super Bowl style, multimillion dollar type of advertisement for God!  That is why active, consistent, NOW faith makes us look good to others!  Hebrews 11:1 teaches us that faith is always in the present tense as it gives us the Biblical description of what it means to have a faith that is called “NOW faith…” (KJV)

When I was taking care of Piper during the last ten or more years of her presence on this earth, I pretty much wore my faith on my shirt sleeve… sort-of-speak!  I didn’t push it on anyone, but simply let the various doctors and other health care professionals we went to, as well as family members, friends and the total strangers we met on the street or at the store, where we stood concerning our faith for her healing.

I’ve been asked if her sickness and passing shook my faith, and even if it was worth all the effort… and I continue to immediately reply with a resilient and definitive “NO!”  As far as my faith is concerned, we received exactly what we were believing for as she was healed the moment she went through the veil into her heavenly reward (check out Ephesians 1:4 in the God’s Word © translation!).   Why she wasn’t healed here… I cannot answer that one as Deuteronomy 29:29 informs us that “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God…” (KJV), and that is good enough for me.

Our job was to believe and stand in faith no matter what we faced along the way!  We had decided early on in our marriage, that as far as our lives were concerned… it was either God’s way, according to the truth of His Word… or the highway!  And like I’ve said many times… all along the way we received miracles and blessing that are almost too numerous to tell of! 

I firmly believe that Piper left this world exactly the way she wanted to… on God’s terms and in His perfect timing!  And she made it seem easy, joyful and peaceful through her unshakeable faith in Him and His Word.  Which was the garment of praise that she wore every single day of her life!

So… Most people that I know want to look good when they go out the front door of their house everyday… right?  Well, I can’t think of any better way to look, in faith…  and as my childhood hero Tony the Tiger would say… “GRRRRRREAT!”

Let me ask you then… How well do YOU wear your faith?

Have a great weekend, and as you do, keep expecting God’s best!