Posted on May 20, 2023

When your heart has been tuned to God, your joy has an effect on those around you.

-Tim Keller

Would you stand in line to shake someone’s hand? I remember a colleague saying there were few people that he would stand in line for to shake their hand, then he mentioned someone on that list. I pondered this for a while, even asking other people at work. The only person on my list was Tim Keller, the head pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York where I attended church.

After the singing and before his sermon, someone would read aloud the scripture for that morning. On many occasions I would be very familiar with the scripture, sometimes even having it memorized. From the familiarity of the text I thought I knew what his message would be. I was wrong. He always shed new light on things, made me look at it from a different perspective.

His influence even extended into my poetry.

I am from long runs with good friends

From miles fueled by Hammer Gels and confidences shared

I am from bike rides in the country

From praying laps in the pool

I am from race numbers and finish lines

From the joy of sweat salted skin

I am from library books

From words shaping and inspiring the way that I think

I am from Tim Keller sermons

From learning new things from scripture I thought that I knew

I am from quotes collected on napkins and notebooks

From the verse of the day posted on the galley wall

After moving from New York I continued to listen to sermons I had downloaded. Do you know how people say they remember where they were when hearing about something startling? I can do that with some of his sermons. I was driving in a rental car in Arkansas when listening to a sermon about David. I was working in my back yard as I listened to a sermon about the growth from an acorn to an oak tree. I was painting the inside of a house while I listened to a sermon series on wisdom, from the book of Proverbs.

He’s also written many soul satisfying books. It’s nice to take in the words slowly, having time to grasp the full meaning of what he’s written. Also, to go back and reread certain pages that really resonated with me. I have told several people that at least 80 percent of all my wisdom comes from Tim Keller.

I’m writing all this now because after years of battling pancreatic cancer, he passed away this morning. I’m saddened by his passing. He’s been the most influential person in my life, I’m so very grateful for all I’ve learned from his teaching.