John Crosby ~ "A Life Well Lived"
The lives of most young children are remarkable in their happy similarity~they grow so rapidly in many ways, explore the world, develop friendships with their peers and enjoy life with their families. Johns life was remarkable in these universal, mundane ways: he loved learning and reading, had a great time in Boy Scouts and in playing sports, was a good friend to many children, and loved spending time with his family~especially playing with his brothers.
But John was remarkable in ways in which he was unlike most people, and these special qualities served him well in the severe challenges he had to face. From his earliest years, John had an unusually strong sense of self~he knew exactly who he was, what he liked, and what he didn't like. Although he appeared frail~the little guy with the glasses~he was, in truth, unusually strong. John was, simply, a rock. His religious faith took on this same unwavering, rock-solid certainty that characterized so much about him.
As adults, we often fool ourselves in believing that we teach and lead our children. But as Jesus taught his disciples~and us~a contrary lesson when he explained that in matters of faith, children are wiser than adults: "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these...anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it." We do teach our children what they should believe, but they show us how it's done. In this way, John was an unusually skilled teacher.
The ways and the mind of God are, in so many respects, beyond our understanding. But some actions of God are perfectly obvious~and it is clear that God knew precisely what He was doing when He chose Paula and Walt to be John's parents. While some of John's notable qualities were internal, some came directly from his parents, from their example as well as their words. Throughout John's illness, Paula and Walt were unwavering in their faith in God. Satan would have us fall into hopelessness and despair in such situations~but John's parents fought with the courage and hope that faith in God alone can give. Showing enormous generosity of spirit, they even expressed how fortunate they were to have so many blessings, especially the prayers, love and support of family, friends, and medical staff.
Despite his brave efforts, John's body could not defeat the cancer. However, John won the ultimate victory~his unwavering faith and love of Jesus carried his soul beyond the reach of pain and disease. In his brief time with us, he accomplished life's most important task.
~Nancy Rosenzwieg