https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5fockj2Rr0
The Ballad of Jimmy Brown
I heard a ballad recently. A ballad is a song that tells a story. This story was written about Jimmy Brown. It struck me because I had a cousin named Jimmy and we both come from the Brown family. We lost Jimmy in a car accident many years ago. So this song got my attention.
It says the sun was shining one day in a little mountain town. The church bells rang and Baby Jimmy Brown was born. The congregation prayed for him.
Next, another beautiful day when the church bells rang to celebrate Jimmy Brown’s wedding. The congregation prayed for him.
Last, a rainy dark day and only one bell rang as Jimmy Brown’s soul winged its way to heaven. The congregation prayed for him.
Is That All There Is?
When I first heard this song, like Peggy Lee once sang, I had to say, “is that all there is?” How can those three events tell the story of Jimmy Brown’s life? Or any of our lives?
I wonder how God may have intervened in Jimmy Brown’s life over the years. What miracles did Jimmy Brown witness? How did Jimmy Brown’s earthly existence affect other lives?
Divine Appointment
We don’t exist in a vacuum. None of us do. We are all born into this earthly existence at just the appointed time. Our lives fit exactly into the plan for earth that was conceived by the all powerful, all knowing, Sovereign God before He even created the planet.
It boggles my mind that life could be so simply reduced to birth, wedding, death. We are so complicated and each of our lives have far reaching effects during our sojourn here.
Responsible
I suppose that makes us responsible for one another. We are our brothers’ keeper just by living our lives. On that thought—how would we proceed?
Perhaps the chronicle of Jimmy Brown’s life holds a seed. He was remembered. Maybe he lived a selfless life and the memories of the kindnesses he left behind would never be forgotten.
Perhaps that is the lesson of Jimmy Brown’s life.
And ours, too.
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