Echoes of Wilson

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Today we mourn the loss of a very dear friend and brother, Wilson Brandt. Wilson was an amazing person. His love for everyone around him was only topped by his love for his savior. He was truly a godly man, and an example to me of what I should strive for. I don't even know what else to say. What can you say? What do you say when you lose someone who means so much to you? What do you say when suddenly someone you loved is gone? I struggled with these questions these past few days. But then this morning I opened up my bible to John 14, and down at the bottom of the page was where Wilson had signed my bible. He highlighted John 14:27 which is the verse I put at the beginning. Wilson was in all things genuine. I think that's what we all most loved about him. Whatever he would do he did it with his whole heart. Wether that was singing, and boy could he sing, or scrubbing toilets. He looked at both of those as equal forms of worship. He would put as much of himself into service as he would into anything else. He poured into the lives of so many. He loved so many. He lived a full life. And though he might have been taken away before we were ready for him to leave, I know that he left this world better than when he found it, and I know for a fact that I will be better because of him. Wilson had that kind of faith that you only see a few people have, he had genuine faith. He had genuine love. Although Wilson was an actor, and an amazing actor at that, he never acted off stage. He lived his life genuinely. And that is what I remember most about him. He never tried to be someone he wasn't. He never tried to be someone other than the person God had made him to be. His faith was his own and everyone around him knew it. His heart for God, and his love for his fellow men will forever be in our memories. I think though what I remember most about Wilson was his hugs. Wilson Brandt gave THE BEST hugs ever. And there were two reasons why. 1 was because Wilson was a big guy and he could wrap his whole arms around you and you felt safe when he hugged you. The second was because when Wilson hugged you you knew he loved you. You could feel the love pour out of him. You could hear the beat of his heart and you knew that his heart kept beating for two things, for Christ, and for those whom he loved, and Wilson loved everyone.

 Today as we mourn the loss of a dear dear friend, let's remember the legacy he left behind. His legacy of love will continue, let his life live in your hearts. And live a new life because of what he has left behind. As Wilson today is belting out praises to our God, let us today shout for joy. Not because we are happy to see him go, I know it's still hard and the pain of loss won't go away that easily. But pain is how we know we're human. Pain shows us that God still lives in us and that we can feel still. So instead of dwelling on the pain, let's praise for the pain. I know that sounds weird and hard and maybe even impossible. But to praise is to acknowledge God's sovereignty. So to praise him for our pain is to acknowledge his sovereignty in our pain. Let us not fill the hole in our hearts that Wilson once took, but rather let's look at that hole, and see not absence but rather legacy. A legacy that lives on in each of us. Wilson will forever be a part of our hearts. But our choice is to let him be a part of us in pain, or in praise and legacy. Let us honor Wilson and the amazing man he was, by living and continuing in the love of Christ.  

Hear the echoes of a great great man! And remember the God who made him great! 

"Be continuing in the love of Christ. Let mercy flow" 

~ Wilson Brandt