I Learned it from Paw Paw

My Pawpaw Rice was a Big, Big man.  When I was a little boy, I’d look up at his 6’4” 260 lb frame and imagine what it must feel like to be so large and powerful.  I’d dream of walking around, a giant among men, and wish that one day I would match his stature.  I was 18 years old when I outgrew him (in height and weight), but by that time I had already realized I could work at it my entire life and never be as big as he was…in strength, in love, and in humility.

 My Pawpaw taught me that strength wasn’t measured by what a man can lift.  Easy for him to say, a Samson of a man who could effortlessly yank my then 265 lbs off the ground with one arm.  He was one of the biggest reasons my football coaches had to MAKE me hit hard in the beginning.  But his strength was in his character, faith, and wisdom.  His most impressive powerful attributes came from God and the faith he had in Him.  “…The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto His people (Psa 68:35). 

I saw how a man ought to love his wife when I watched how he treated my Mawmaw.  He spoke gently and kindly to her always.  We would be down at his cabinet shop working, and he would often stop everything and say, “I gotta go check on my girl.”  He took care of her, and what’s more, he loved to take care of her.  “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” (Eph 5:25).

It was easy to see that meekness doesn’t mean weakness when I observed the life my Pawpaw lived.  He had rock-solid hands that dwarfed mine, but they were gentle when they needed to be.  He didn’t shout or intimidate to get respect.  He earned respect by being a man of his word and by serving others.  I follow Pawpaw’s example because he absolutely followed Christ.  And I look forward to the day we can be together again.

----Darrell Powell