The Legacy of One Man: Bruce Climie
Over the past week I have had to say goodbye to one of the most influential men in my life, my Grandfather, Bruce Climie. Below are just a few photos of him over the past few years, including one with his wife, Mary of 58 years. He passed from this life with her holding his hand, his 4 children surrounding his bedside and no longer in pain. I have included my speech from his funeral yesterday. I hope it will reveal the type of man he was and the type of man I become.
These photos were of the day he passed. Simple things that had profound impact. The idea of he would never wear his shoes again struck me the day he passed. In addition, he was blessed to have so many loving family members surround him on his final day.
As I read through this section of scripture, will you listen carefully to see how my grandfather lived these principles or showed them in some way to you?
1 Corinthians 13: 1-8; 13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Today we have faith that grandpa is in heaven, seeing the author and creator or love face to face.
We hope to see him again.
But we are blessed because the "greatest of these", the love we feel toward him and the love he blessed us with remains here on earth inside each of us.
It's appropriate that over the weekend I was asked to read this section of scripture. My grandma said "it was his favorite part". I was somewhat surprised as he had never said anything about it. I should not have been surprised though. It was his way. He never boasted about anything. He was simply a man of character and lived out the principles written here: love, patience, kindness, humility, gentleness, selfless-ness, grace, truthfulness, protection and most of all, perseverance. Is it any wonder why we all loved him and felt loved by him so much?
I pray that you too have a section of scripture as he did. That after you're gone, your grandkids can find it and realize how it was your favorite because you lived it out every single day of your life, just as he did.