The Testimony of a Servant

Introduction

A poem by Dr. Benjamin Mays reads “I have only just a minute, Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can’t refuse it. Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it. But its up to me to use it. I must suffer if I lose it. Give account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.”

It is often said that between the birthdate and the date of transition there is in between it the dash. We have no control over when we come neither do we have control of when we go but we’ve got control over what happens in between. We’ve gathered here to celebrate the life of a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, friend, co-worker, neighbor and so many titles too numerous to name. And I didn’t have the luxury to know Bro. Swope very well or very long but from the times we spoke and the stories I’ve heard and learned of Bro. Swope, it is evident that he lived out his dash to the fullest extent possible.

While I’m certain he enjoyed his life from what I have learned, he spent a lot of it serving other people, attending the football games of his son Jeremiah who wore number 67 at Williamson High School, in addition to the family date nights with Sis. Jill, Sis. Nicki, Jeremiah and Bro. Swope. I learned that even when he was ill, Bro. Swope would get up to care for his wife, help his siblings, and anyone else who had a need even at the wee hours of the night. And then 24 years at MAWSS then went back another 3 years after retiring.

But I need not attempt to paint a perfect picture because like each and everyone of us sitting in this room has flaws, so did Bro. Lonnie. But through all of the ups and downs and vicissitudes of life in which he traveled with the time allotted to him he spent the balance of his days serving others.

Servants often have something in common with one another. They often serve to the degree of wanting and expecting nothing in return, they’ll do whatever they can for others no matter what the cost, and even if I’m honest, sometimes they go without for themselves in order to serve others. Servants are often criticized behind their backs, mishandled, misused, abused, there for everybody else but have feelings of abandonment when they are in need. And after serving others selflessly there is always the question for those in service… who will serve me?

Body

David had a personal testimony. He served by playing music in the presence of Saul that the evil spirits that came upon him would cease, he served by killing the Israelites most vicious enemy name Goliath, and yet Saul still sought to kill him. David was betrayed by his own son Absalom when he sought to kill his father and usurp his throne. David was king during a three year famine in which many began to leave to flee to Moab. Yet he still testifies in the midst of all he went through I was young but now I’m old.

David here is talking about a progression of his own experiences and times in his life that from way back then up until his present moment no matter what good has happened or what bad has happened… I’v never seen the righteous forsaken!

And I know life and times were not always easy for Bro. Lonnie. But the strength that he exhibited to get up in the middle of the night to help his wife dealing with leg cramps or to respond to a call at 2 and 3 o clock in the morning to help someone with their broke down car was just a sign that I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken! God aided Bro. Lonnie to serve even in his sickness because I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken!

It was personal for David because after all he had faced God still blessed him, God still used him!

I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken… The righteous are those who trust in God who have now been stamped by Jesus Christ. So that when God sees the righteous He doesn’t really see them He sees Jesus in them.

Its sort of like this then… if I go out and buy a Bentley - the car will come with the Bentley emblem on it so that when somebody sees the car they don’t identify it as a Mercedes or anything other than what it is.. a Bentley. And so then when God has declared us righteous through Jesus Christ we have been stamped as one of His. And when we have been stamped as one of His, He is obligated to take care of us.

So when you saw Bro. Swope even with a Nephrostomy and you wonder how in the world is this man able to keep on doing what he does its because he’s been stamped with the righteousness of God and God won’t forsake His own! He is one of God’s and God used him even when he wasn’t at his best health.

That word forsake means to turn your back. And I know while Bro. Swope was alive there were some just like you and I can identify some who turned their back on him. After he had done all he could to help them even at his worst there were I’m sure some who were no where to be found in his time of need. And that is because men will forsake you every chance they get but God will never turn His back on one of His own.

Bro. Swope over the course of his life may not have always had everything he wanted and I’m sure he wasn’t always able even to provide for his wife and children everything they wanted. But what I can be sure of is that he never had to beg anyone for anything! Because God saw to it that his needs and the needs of his family were met.

So if you and I could glean anything from the life of Brother Swope, it would be in between your birth date and your death date… you’ve got to come into a trusting and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and let God use you to serve Him by serving others. We don’t have much time and with the time we do have we ought to help somebody else. If I can help somebody… as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or a song… then my living shall not be in vain. And during the toughest and darkest times of your life - you’ll wonder how in the world am I able to keep serving and keep going with all that I’ve been through and all of what I’m going through?

It’s because I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken! Be not dismayed. Whatever be tied God will take care of you!

Closing

I’m going to my seat… But before I go I know you’re gonna miss your husband Sis. Jill… I know he contributed greatly to the household. Bro. Jeremiah and Sis. Nicki, I know you’ll miss your father. To the sisters, I know you’ll miss your brother. But I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken. That means that the same God who carried Bro. Swope from earth to glory… will carry you on in this life.

You might hurt sometime. You might have to cry sometime. Cry and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t! Cry on. But I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken! When you cry, know that God is there. When everybody else is gone on with their lives, the phone calls have stopped, and the smell of the fried chicken that everybody brought to the house no longer lingers in the air… I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging bread!

That means you’re going to be alright. You just gotta remember the words of the great hymn of the church. Time is filled with swift transition. Naught on earth unmoved can stand. Build your hopes on things eternal and hold to God’s unchanging hand! He won’t forsake you… He’ll walk with you, and He’ll talk with you… And tell you that you are His own… because I’ve NEVER seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging bread!