Not The Death Of A Salesman

A man I respected greatly died this weekend. He did not "pass away", but he did "go to a better place". He died at an age when one might expect such a thing, but those who love him cannot believe his time has come. He remained clear minded, wise and full of wit up to his last days.

Dr. Ralph L. Byron, Jr. was a general and oncological surgeon by profession. He leaves many healed bodies as a legacy. But more than that, he was a healer of hearts in the employ of The Greast Physician. That would be his choice as his greatest legacy. He loved those around him - family, friend and stranger, because he loved God first.

Reading a passage he wrote years ago will help you understand this man:

When the alarm went off at 5:30 the next morning, I was really tired. It was much tougher than the first morning.

At the end of two weeks I took inventory. Somehow, after the first two or three days, I seemed to feel wider awake on five hours' sleep than I'd been on six. My work at the hospital had gone well. I decided to continue the prayer time.

Week by week, God was not only becoming real to me, He was becoming the meaning in all reality, and the hour which had started out seeming so long now became more and more precious. My whole life, in fact, was different, and I knew the investment of time was paying off.

Eight months after I began my prayer experiment, I got a call to duty with the Marine Corps. A group of us arrived for basic training at Camp Pendleton. I stood in the door of the barracks looking down the rows of double bunks where 10 doctors and 45 line officers would be sleeping. When and where would I find a quiet hour for prayer?

(Read the conclusion here.)