REFLECTION

BILLY GRAHAM’S MESSAGE AT THE FUNERAL OF DAWSON TROTMAN

JUNE 1956

Billy Graham and Dawson Trotman (founder of The Navigators) were close friends and Billy always consulted Dawson when he was facing major decisions.  He first met Dawson in 1941.  This week I listened to Billy Graham’s message that he gave at the funeral of Dawson Trotman.  Billy shared eight things that impressed him about Dawson.

·         Dawson loved the word of God.  Dawson taught Billy to love it and he did this for many others.  One of his favorite verses was Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

·         Dawson was a man of vision.  He felt the world was conquerable for Christ.  Nothing was too hard.  The world was a small place since God was so big.  He was always planning big things for Christ.

·         Dawson was a man of prayer.  Many times he slipped away to pray.

·         Dawson was a man of discipline.  He was a rebuke to this undisciplined age.  He was organized, consistent, balanced and ordered.  “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.” 2 Timothy 3:14

·         Dawson was a man of complete dedication.  He had a one track mind.  Not these 40 things I dabble in.  Billy wished he could be on that same one track.

·         Dawson was a man with a consuming love for the lost.  He would spend hours with an individual to find Christ.

·         Dawson was a man of the soft rebuke.  “Wounds from a friend can be trusted”.  Proverbs 27:6.  Dawson was always wanting people to grow.  He was a man of courage and in a sweet humble way he would rebuke you with many verses and you knew it was from God and you loved him for it.

·         Dawson was a man who lived for eternity.  His sights were on heaven.  He died saving the life of a young girl who was drowning.  In the process, he died at 50 years of age.  Philippians 1:21 marked his life, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Dr. Billy Graham said of Dawson Trotman, I think Daws has personally touched more lives that anybody I have ever known.”  One of Dawson’s favorite quotes was, “Do what others cannot or will not do.”

Bill quoted Psalm 37:37, “Mark the perfect (mature) man, and observe the upright.  For the future of that man is peace”.

Today, let us also observe the mature people of God around us and learn from them and imitate their faith.

John Ridgway

February 2010