Several years ago, when I was on the traveling weightlifting team for Athletes in Action (the athletic arm for Campus Crusade for Christ), our team of five was asked to be body guards for the famed evangelist, Billy Graham.
It happened at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. The year was 1972. The event was Explo '72, a huge gathering of Christians from all over the nation in Dallas to receive training in how to take their faith public. Dr. Graham was to be the featured speaker on one of the evenings. However, as was the case wherever he traveled, someone had phoned in a death threat.
All I was thinking was the great honor it was to be that close to Dr. Graham. The death threat didn't even cross my mind. At first, that is.
We had to walk a couple hundred yards from his car, through a wide corridor to the platform on the football field. The five of us were asked to walk in a circle around him. I was the point man, leading the way. All I could think of while we were walking Billy (suddenly I'm on a first name basis, like he's an old buddy) to the stadium was, "What an unbelievable honor this is."
He gave his usual great message, then we met him at the steps leading down from the platform. We formed our circle around him, and again, I was the point man, leading the way. Again, I thought, "What an honor!"
Then, it hit me as we approached the now darkened corridor. "If someone is going to take a shot at Billy," I thought, "that bullet has to go through me first." I started looking around a little more cautiously as I picked up the pace. Suddenly, I wasn't so sure about the honor any more. Not that it wouldn't have been a great honor to have taken a bullet for Billy. I would have gladly done it if it wouldn't have hurt any, and I would have gone on living.
Well, we made it back to the car with no incident. After Billy shook our hands and thanked us for being there for him, he got into the car and drove off. For him, the next day would be another routine speaking engagement, and another routine death threat. As the five of us walked back to the stadium, it came to me that what I was fearful of doing for Billy, Jesus had already done for me.
And, He had been more than willing.
The lesson?
The greatest love is the sacrifice of ourself.
(Note: I'll have another episode tomorrow. If you'd like to comment on this little "lesson I've learned," please feel free to do so.)
