Monday Morning Manna: My Friend, Mark

The picture is black & white, faded a bit, with torn edges, survivor of six decades. It is a group of Royal Ambassadors, standing in front of their church family, receiving recognition for their accomplishments, proudly claiming to be “Ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Standing next to me in the picture, is my friend, Mark White, the same Mark White that would later serve as Governor of Texas. My friend, Mark died last week. Three times I was privileged to introduce him, once as Texas Secretary of State, and twice as Texas Attorney General. Each time I told my favorite Mark White story. Following our R.A. meeting on a Wednesday evening, we were playing football in the grassy area adjacent to the church worship center. On the other side of the beautiful stained glass windows were our parents and other adults, participating in Prayer Meeting. Mark attempted to punt the football, but it went off the side of his foot, spiraling toward the stained glass windows. A dozen pre-teen boys watched with baited breath, fearing they were about to be the first Royal Ambassadors to be excommunicated from a Baptist church. But miraculously, the football glanced off the windows, without even a scratch. Each time I told that story, Mark would rise to address the audience, and begin by explaining the bad punt was a result of a “bad snap from Center, by a kid named Crawford.” He will be missed, but we will meet again. I wonder if there are any stained glass windows in heaven.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.