Quiet People

I went to a funeral today for a very quiet man. No, not quiet in volume, quiet in "splash" -- know what I mean? He was a member of my church for 18 years, and I think he was there EVERY WEEK of those 18 years! He was a nearly permanent fixture in the lobby...until a sudden and massive heart attack left a gaping hole in the world.

Probably the most fascinating thing about Wilbert Hood was the fact that although he was familiar to everyone who came to our church, hardly anybody knew his name. It's actually quite sad...and I have to 'fess up and admit that I didn't really know his name either, even though I've been going to that same church for as long as he has. Over the years I've learned his name a couple of times, but then allowed it to slip away from my memory. I don't think I'll forget it again.

When word began to spread about Wilbert's death, his description served as the primary identifier for him...he was the black man with the great suits and the huge smile! And he always had his clicker -- he was in charge of tracking attendance from week to week, so every weekend he made his rounds clicking away...clicking, clicking, clicking...and as faithful as he was with his clicker, he was more so with his smile and his words of encouragement. He was a reason people remembered our church, a reason they came back.

I wasn't at church last weekend, so I didn't get the opportunity to see his usual spot without him in it. I heard it looked very strange, and very sad, and I'll get to see for myself this weekend. My church has been left with a big smile and big spirit to fill...and although we number nearly 2000 members, I don't think there's any one person who will be able to do what Wilbert did.

The words I heard over and over today...humble, smiling, caring, friendly, Christian, beloved. He wasn't one who demanded or called a lot of attention to himself...he was just quiet. Quiet and fully committed to God. Our Senior Pastor commented during the service that when he heard Wilbert pray, it was clear that this wasn't just a prayer, it was a conversation between dear friends. Incredible.

There's a song that's been running through my head this afternoon -- it's a song by 4Him called "Measure of a Man". Pardon me if I miss a word or two, but if my aging memory serves, this is the gist of the chorus:

"I found the measure of a man is not how tall he stands, how wealthy or intelligent you are. I found that the measure of a man God knows and understands, for He looks inside to the bottom of the heart. And what's in the heart defines the measure of a man."

Based on that description, Wilbert, quiet and caring, was the tallest measure of a man.

Do you know any quiet people? I have an assignment for you: find out their name, and commit it to memory today.