Claiborn Limousin

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” Mark 1:3 NIV

I saw something pretty cool this week. I got to watch my brother get baptized. I am sure he did when we were kids, but I don’t remember that one. He has been through a lot in his lifetime. He has served in active-duty combat and literally would take that war to anyone who puts someone he loves in danger. Come to think of it, he would do that for a total stranger too.

People talk about how intimidating he is. He does look tough. But honestly, he’s the biggest teddy bear you will ever see. Any description of him should include the size of his heart. In that area, he is a miracle. His heart is actually as big as he is.

When he moved to Hays it marked the first time I have lived around one of my siblings in like 30 years. I would highly recommend it. Family is a good thing. The church he found is themed by a love for motorcycles. Everyone looks tough, but as I watched my brother climb into that baptismal, I saw four men stand around him who all looked like him. Big. Strong. Veterans. By the way, he hates being submerged in water – which is inconvenient when being baptized. But a little girl about four years old, who apparently loves my brother, ran up to the stage and threw him a kids pool floaty. It was adorable. But when he went under that water, I saw a church body celebrate. They love him.

The service reminded me of another Claiborn. My uncle Bill. He is turning 90 and is literally like a legend in our family. He started a church when he was still a young man. God called him and Bill answered. He has now been preaching for around 70 years.

Digest that number again. Seven decades ago God gave Bill a job and never relocated him. If you remember Billy Graham you will know what I mean. Billy Graham used to host huge revivals in stadiums all over the world. They used to televise them. We used to stop what we were doing as a family and watch them. He could preach and during an alter call would say something simple like “I want you to come” and 5,000 people would flood the stage. I see my uncle as no less impactful. I would bet that my uncle does not get on the internet so he may never see this. But I want to tell him happy birthday. I also want to tell him about my brother.

My siblings and I were city kids. Kansas City was the answer when our mom and dad were looking for a place to start their family. When we went to visit we were out of our element. We loved our cousins but we did not know anything about what it took to grow up on a farm. Bill was one of the ones who helped with that. He had horses and we can all remember seeing him work with them. He always made us feel included. He also had huge cows. I have no idea what kind they were, but I remember once seeing someone wearing a hat that said “Claiborn Limousin”. I totally thought it meant the car and out in the country, that would have been weird. It’s also spelled differently but I did not know that at the time.

Over the years we have heard Bill preach quite a bit. We all love it. It is clear that he loves it. He has introduced several generations of people to Christ. I cannot imagine the number. Just before my dad died, Bill showed up in Kansas City. Unannounced. He simply told my sister that he had some business to do with his brother. He talked. He prayed. They praised. My sister peeked in to see my dad with hands raised to heaven. Then he left. My dad left shortly after. At the funeral he told us all how tired he was. He had lost a lot of loved ones over the years. He is human, but he kept at it. He told stories of my dad when they were growing up like watching my dad hop on a horse and ride about 10 miles or so into town to work. I also remember watching him preach at my mom’s funeral. The thing I will never forget from hers is all of the paperclips in his bible. He could run his finger from Revelation to any book he wanted without looking. I remember thinking that I should spend that much time in my bible.

The point I thought of watching my brother at a church that reminded me of my uncle was the difference in calling. In one case, God handed out a job that has so far lasted 70 years. In the other, the journey has been all over the map literally and figuratively. Both are divinely lead.

Most of us have a job that pays the bills most of the time, but do we consider is a calling? Maybe they are the same thing.

Some callings are obvious. Preachers are front and center but what if our calling is just to keep walking wherever He leads?

Challenge: Maybe my job is my calling. Maybe yours is too. It may not seem glamorous. It may not be interesting all the time. We don't have to understand 70 years all at one time. But day to day adds up to year after year. If we give God our time, He won’t waste it.

Rick Claiborn