A hero has fallen.
“Justice will be fought, and the battle will rage. This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.”
Many of us will remember with great fondness how Toby Keith worked tirelessly alongside the USO to perform live concerts for U.S. service members around the world. If my research is correct, Mr. Keith shared his greatest hits – and his magnanimous heart – with a quarter million active-duty military personnel in 17 countries. Toby performed for troops at sea. Toby performed in Afghanistan in the face of a rocket attack by the Taliban. Toby loved his country. Toby loved his craft. Toby loved people.
Last night, America lost a patriot.
You may remember that Keith became the inaugural recipient of the Country Icon Award at the People’s Choice Country Awards last September. The award was presented by his fellow Oklahoman and close friend, Blake Shelton. I believe that, though Keith had first received his stomach cancer diagnosis in 2021, it was that night at the Grand Ole Opry when he brought the wider public into his difficult journey. Adding some levity to that difficult announcement, as we would expect him to do, that’s when Keith quipped, “I bet y’all never thought you would see me in skinny jeans.”
It was that evening when we got just a glimpse into the soul of Toby Keith. As he thanked the members of his family, and as he thanked his plethora of fans, he also made it his priority to give thanks to his trustworthy God. I’m so glad that we have that testimony recorded: “I lean on my faith and I just pray and lean into it … You gotta do what you gotta do, and I don’t know how people do it without faith … that’s what I did, it was my rock.”
In another interview that took place more recently, Toby seemed to open up about his peace with God, and thus his peace with the reality of his death: “You take it for granted on the days that things are good, and you lean on it when days are bad … It has taught me to lean on it a little more every day … I was going through all the chemo, radiation, surgery, and I got to the point where I was comfortable with whatever happened … I had my brain wrapped around it, and I was in a good spot either way.”
Most of us would agree that the age of 62 is getting younger and younger, and that it’s far too young for us to feel at ease about saying a final goodbye to someone whom we admire, or someone we love. So the death of Toby Keith becomes for us yet another reminder of the brevity of this life and the nearness of eternity.
I remember an old adage from somewhere, and it still fits …
“Life is short.
Death is sure.
Sin the cause.
Christ the cure.”
You and I must be telling people the good news of Jesus! This lost world all around us is no more in need of grace than were we. I’ll remind you of Paul’s reminder to the Ephesians (2:1-3): “… you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world … among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh …” I would urge you to read that passage in its entirety, because God’s Word makes plain the simple truth that all of us are imprisoned by evil until Christ sets us free. All of us!
And then there’s the wonder of Verses 4 and 5: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved!”
So, whether we’re in Music City or Minnesota or Mozambique, it’s time for us to humble ourselves and share with others this great love with which we have been loved. Not with eyes of judgmentalism. Not with eyes of scorn. Not with eyes of, “What’s wrong with you people?”
But with eyes of mercy and grace. After all, we’ve been invited to a Feast – not a funeral.
“I ain’t got a pot of gold. Girl, I ain’t even got a rainbow. But I’ve heard that love is where treasure can be found.”
Pastor Charles
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