On the morning of Wednesday, February 21, our world woke up to some sad news. Christian evangelist Billy Graham, who probably preached to more people than anyone in the history of the world, passed away at the age of 99. Like many of you, I remember seeing Rev. Graham on the television screen of my home as I was growing up in the 1970’s. Some of you attended one or more of his many evangelistic crusades held across America and around the world. Billy Graham, though, was much more than America’s preacher – he was a leader and a role model whose sphere of influence will, most likely, never be matched in our lifetime.
In some respects, Billy Graham’s remarkable rise to fame is difficult to explain or understand. He was not a showman; he never relied on gimmicks to attract a crowd. His preaching style was not especially dynamic or flashy. It wasn’t as though he had movie star looks or an entertainer’s charisma. In fact, by modern standards, some might say that Billy Graham lacked much of what experts say is required to attain influence and notoriety on a large scale.
How, then, did this happen? How did this North Carolina farm boy rise to such heights? To answer these questions, we must take a look at 1 Samuel 16:7. When God was instructing Samuel in the selection of David as the next king of Israel, the Bible says, “…the Lord said to Samuel….’God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (NASB). God does not look for eloquence, flash, brilliance, or style when choosing a servant. He looks for sincerity of heart and humility of character. God saw these characteristics in Billy Graham, anointed him with the Holy Spirit, and took him into the presence of prime ministers, monarchs, and presidents.
Did Billy Graham make mistakes? Sure he did. What is admirable, though, is how he owned up to his blunders and didn’t try to sidestep his responsibility. What stands out the most to me, however, was Rev. Graham’s humility. His preaching and his ministry were never about how much attention he could gain or how large he could become. His mission was just about serving God and reaching people for Jesus. We live in a world in which people are so into exalting themselves. Athletes thump their chests, entertainers and politicians polish their image, and (dare I say it?) common folk like you and me often want the world to notice us, admire us, and applaud us. God, though, uses the humble and obedient for His purposes. So you may not be Billy Graham, but if you accept Christ as your Savior and walk in humble obedience to Him, the Bible says that you will be great in God’s eyes (Matthew 20:26)!
William Wimmer
