Example of the Believers

 

Tom’s Birthday (October 15, 2018)

Example of the Believers (24 Oct 2023, started 3 November 2019)

This morning as we once again read 1 Timothy 4 I remembered the message below that I started nearly four years ago and felt now would be a good time to finish the story. I considered waiting until we read the New Testament again in four years, but decided that there’s no time like the present. And to those of you who might say that this is not a real farm story, call me and I will tell you the joke about the interrupting cow… 

In 2019 I wrote… In Come Follow Me this week, Paul is writing a letter to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 4, it says “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” At the time our neighbor Tom had recently passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. The news hit everyone really hard as Tom was beloved by all who knew him, and we were especially grateful for his goodness to our family.

I remember feeling as I read Paul’s counsel to Timothy, that Tom was, as Paul counseled, “an example of the believers”. We know he was religious, yet he never pushed his religion on us. Yet you could tell that he loved and lived his religion.

Jesus taught us that we should love and serve one another. Tom was an example of one that really believed this teaching as he was always willing and eager to lend a helping hand wherever needed. Sometimes that helping hand was something as simple as Tom’s smile or a quick conversation on the side of the road, and sometimes it was something that required his innate ability to fix and build. But whatever was needed, Tom was available and you could tell that he genuinely loved you and would do anything to help.  He gave endlessly to others and was a light to everyone he saw.  

Tom had a contagious smile that often made you feel like he was up to something, had a great joke to tell, or was about to go on a pretty speedy motorcycle ride. And now that I think about it, that was probably often the case. Tom learned somewhere along life’s journey that it’s best to be up to something good, sometimes mischievous, but always uplifting. 

Four years ago I asked for some comments on Tom. I don’t remember who made each comment, but you talked about how Tom could carry on a conversation for hours.  You mentioned that cough that often come during conversations, but that never stopped him from going on endless adventures. You remembered that Tom treated Kathy like a queen. Someone noted that even though Kathy was “always right”, Tom always gave her a hard time anyway! And you remembered that Tom was always kind and eager to help us. “He was the best neighbor ever”.

I am grateful for Tom’s example. He told stories of his younger years and claimed to have been somewhat of a rabble rouser. That may be true, but it was clear to all that knew Tom that his faith in Christ had helped him become a better person. That we might be similarly motivated by our faith in Christ, that we too may become “example[s] of [the] believers”.

Love you all!

Dad

Tom Buchhop (can you see the mischievousness?)