Dale Cruttenden Celebration of Life

How do you measure a life?

It was my privilege to know Dale Cruttenden as a member of this church and a friend. He was the kind of man who came to prayer meeting every week, even if it was only a couple of us there. When I needed a hand, he stepped up to help. He was the kind of guy that would ask, “how can I help you?” He also liked a vigorous debate and didn’t shy away from pulling me aside after church or prayer meeting to explore a subject further. He never did it in a disruptive way; he was always respectful and sincere.

I appreciated Dale and I wish I had more time with him before disease damaged his lungs and ultimately took his breath away.

I met Dale in his maturity and interacted with him in the best of circumstances. Not everyone will have the same glowing review of his life, but that’s the way it is with all of us. We grow in life and mature through time. I’ve heard stories of Dale’s earlier spiritual journey where his desire to communicate what he thought was truth overshadowed his love for his family and friends. Those were not always easy times. A man of conviction may not always be an easy person to interact with. Stalwart and confident, they stand in their position—true or not—no matter the cost. And sometimes at the sacrifice of love and kindness. As we, and especially his family, remember Dale, we have fond memories and some of us have painful memories. You should not attempt to paint over the painful memories. They are educational. They form a context of your life and help you understand the story of Dale’s life. But remember that Dale was a man growing in the grace of Jesus just as we all are. In his later years Dale’s stalwart, uncompromising, truth-seeking heart began to see a softer, more love-filled picture of Jesus and truth. That is a lesson for us all. That God grows us in our knowledge of Him, and if we give Him the chance he softens our hearts and makes them pliable.

One of Dale’s favorite verses is found in Jude 24, which we read just a moment ago. I’d like to read that again in the New Living Translation:

Jude 20–25 NLT

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Glory to God. That’s the message of this passage. All glory to God who is able to keep you from falling away from Him. Who alone is wise. Who is our Savior. Jesus is the one who is able to present us, faultless, before the presence of God.

I think Dale understood this passage better as he spent his last months and weeks laying in bed memorizing scripture.

Jesus was the center of Dale’s conversations. His soon return was his topic of conversation. And I have confidence that one day soon we will see Jesus coming in the clouds. He will open His mouth and with a trumpeting voice He will call the dead back to life. And in that moment Dale Samuel Cruttenden will rise meet his Lord in the air.

In life Dale knew Jesus, but dimly, like he was looking through a foggy mirror. But on that day he will see him face-to-face and He will know Him for who He truly is.

1 Corinthians 13:11–13 NKJV

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Love. It’s not always easy to put a finger on. We would all like love to be perfectly reflected in us, but we often express our love imperfectly. Dale was a man of faithful love. He was married to his sweetheart, Mafalda, for many year. He worked hard so his children could attend Adventist schools. He even moved to an Adventist Academy to work as a boys dean so that he could be with his grandkids during their high-school years. He was a man of faithful love, and its expression was growing as he was growing in Jesus.

I long for the day when we all will see Jesus face to face and more fully understand His everlasting, faithful love. I think we’ll all realize how limited our expressions of love have been, and we’ll all fall down at his feet in humility and worship Him.

As Dale struggled to breath, he expressed hope. He was hopeful because he knew that soon he would “fall asleep” just like the apostle said of David in Acts 13:36 “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep...” Dale’s work was done, his body was weary, and he fell asleep. But he also expressed hope because he believed that he would be resurrected.

1 Thessalonians 4:14–18 (ESV)

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. ...For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Hope and comfort go hand in hand. Dale had hope, and so can we. Hope that He who started the work of salvation in us and in Dale will bring it to completion when He returns and calls us home. Hope that it is not by our perfect lives that we will gain heaven, but by Jesus’ amazing grace and