I recently gave a personal testimony to the Westmont College Board of Trustees. The challenge was to answer the question, “How did you become who you are?” An interesting challenge for anybody! But considering the intellectual power of my audience, and considering their wide range of interests, it was not an easy thing to summarize in 10-minutes. In fact, it was much harder to prepare for this brief presentation than I ever imagined!
In the end, I described myself as having led a liberal arts life. Here are my expanded notes. Not the best writing, but as I said, they are my notes for the talk.
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Born to parents who loved me, this was the foundation of my life. Knowing that I am loved made it easy to believe that God loved me. I can never recall a moment when I did not consider Jesus as Lord.
My childhood was idyllic that had a “Leave it to Beaver” kind of flavor: simple, middle-class, and all-American. Monday thru Friday, I rode my bike to school, played with the neighborhood kids, and attended a good public school. I was never in any major trouble and yet was all-boy. I was an above average student, but not an elite student.
But my childhood had a mixed set of experiences. On Saturdays it was especially interesting — I worked in my Dad’s wrecking yard. Working in a junkyard is truly a cultural experience, and I was there every Saturday and all summer from the time I was about 5-years old. I worked side by side with drug addicts, drug dealers, people with mental disorders, felons, thieves, the down and the dirty. Not a lot of Rhodes Scholars apply for a job at the junkyard!
Then on Sundays, I attended a dynamic church with outstanding programs. It was the largest church in the area at the time, and we had all the best and brightest come through. The great orators, theologians, teachers and musicians opened my eyes to a broader world.
At the age of 13, we moved to a cattle ranch. Yet another eye opening experience! Suddenly I was riding a horse, working cattle, and hunting in my spare time.
At the age of 18, it was off to Westmont. The college itself was not that much of a shock to me (my dynamic church had insured that), but the community of Montecito certainly was! I saw wealth and privilege like I had never seen before.
Then marriage to my best friend, who opened my eyes to the idea that being nice to people is actually a great way to live! Really, when D’Aun taught me that relationships were central to our lives, it was a transforming awakening for me.
Starting a career, and being very successful, gave me more responsibility and opportunity.
Then two children who brought joy like I’ve never experienced.
Life was perfect in my mid-20’s. A beautiful wife who loved me, two great kids, a successful business, loving parents, a great education, a broad understanding of the world….it just couldn’t be better.
Around this time I read Luke 12:48, and I felt convicted. I have so much, but what was I doing to justify all of it? What was expected of me?
From this grew a passion to serve my Lord by serving the poor. Hidden Lakes, Target Earth, Jaguar Creek, Mission Springs Community Church….I threw myself into them. And loved it all. Each experience was like a whole new learning opportunity. More liberal arts education!
Now I’m 50, and I can reflect again. Truly my life has been a liberal arts experience. But how do I use such a gift?
God tells us in Isaiah 57:15 that he lives in heaven, but also in the low places. This is a God who is comfortable on the throne, but also with the destitute. In the same way, I’m convinced that God has given me a life that makes me comfortable in a broad range of places. I’m equally comfortable in a tuxedo, or in a poor rural village. I can run a business or a non-profit organization.
Such a life is a life of tension. We live in the tension between the very high and the very low. Between rich and poor. Between the educated elite and the poor subsistence farmer. Between the business world and the non-profit missons world.
A life lived in that tension allows one to become a translator. We can help people in the high places and the low places to understand each other.
Being that translator is a special responsibility. But God has prepared me to accept that responsibility. He led me through a liberal arts life; such a gift is not to be wasted.