For Me to Live is Christ … to Die is Gain: In Honor of Robert Joseph Carson

As the years shifted from 100 to 101 to 102 to 103 and, finally, to 104, I have long anticipated and dreaded this day. I have contemplated what I can write. Is it possible to honor and summarize someone’s life in 1,000 words? How can I capture all that Grandad is and was to me, our family, the family of Christ, and our community? I am convinced that my words fail me, my thoughts too weak, and the subject matter too great to be able to succeed in this task. Yet, I will try. Today, please accept a few words in honor of my grandfather, Robert Joseph Carson.

Solomon writes, “Better is the day of your death than the day of your birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1). The reason… because a good name is better than precious ointment. If when you die and you have protected your name and the name of Jesus Christ, you are a rich person. Just days ago when my Grandad died, in terms of Grandad’s name, it was better than the day of his birth. For 104 years he protected the names Robert Joseph Carson, and, much more importantly, Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior.

Grandad’s Story Begins with God

Often I have shared stories, anecdotes, and observations from Grandad’s life. However, all the honor for my Grandad’s life begins with God. Not simply to live to 104, but to be actively engaged in the world around him until the final week of his life – that’s incredible! God deserves our gratitude for grace upon grace to allow that. This summer alone, Grandad has enjoyed participating in our annual family vacation to Kentucky Lake, attend every evening of Vacation Bible School, and even his last Sunday, with a small cough that turned out to be pneumonia, he attended a full day’s services at church with a homemade ice cream gathering at the end. Only God, my friends.

Grandad was a faithful member of Grace Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky, for over seventy-four years where he served as a deacon and taught Sunday School for over 60 years. His love for God’s Word was so evident. I never remember going to his house where his Bible was not either on the table, an end table, or somewhere where he had been reading. The pages were worn; his observations deep. Not only did he teach for so many years, I often over the many years would talk with him about the Bible. As I graduated from Bible college and ultimately became a pastor and professor, he would often fill our conversations on a boat or while just relaxing with the Bible. Sometimes, I would tell him what I had been studying where I would ask his opinion. Many times he would bring up a verse or an idea he had been studying or teaching through and we would discuss that. He loved also thinking through how best to serve others as a reflection of what he read and knew. Only God, my friends.

His love for his family was only secondary to his love for the Lord, passing on that legacy. When we would ask him about God’s goodness or kindness to him, he would often simply say, “his family.” And, boy did God bless him in that way. Although Grandad was a first generation Christian, he and Grandma raised three sons, and enjoyed nine grandchildren, twenty-nine great grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren (although that number is growing regularly). In that group, by the grace of the Lord, seven are in vocational ministry and all of age have trusted in Jesus Christ. Only God, my friends.

God’s protection and provision began before Grandad was ever saved. He served in the United States Army in World War II. He saw action in Europe both on D-Day in the third group that hit the shores and the Battle of the Bulge. While serving through the war, God preserved Grandad’s life and those of his brothers. At this point, none of them were saved nor had any kind of relationship with God. It was only after his time in WW2 that he was saved. Once back in the States, after getting married to my Grandma from Richmond, Virginia, whom he had met during training for the war, and moving back to Kentucky, did Grandad hear the story of Jesus Christ. You can read that story below. Only God, my friends.

After working alongside his dad in the family business once he returned from the war, he eventually worked and retired from the Commonwealth Life Insurance Company after over 30 years of service. It was in 1982 and he was 62 years old. Those were the days when often a man would retire at 62 and die by 65 or 70. Yet, God gave him 42 more years of life since then. Only God, my friends.

What do you do for 42 years of retirement? Well, with a great love for the outdoors and as an avid fisherman and hunter, you spend a lot of time outside. But, what he did most was live out his love for God supremely and others sincerely. Let me explain. For the vast majority of those 42 years (outside of the most recent when he was living with dad and mom), he would start his week teaching the Bible in his adult Bible class. He would prepare for that lesson all week. He served as a deacon, assistant treasurer, and member of the choir. After attending church on Sunday, Mondays and Tuesdays were days that he could fish, hunt, spend time with Grandma, spend time with family, or do projects. Wednesdays were reserved for church and Thursday nights for church visitation. Often he may go fishing or do something else on Friday but would make a point to be back for church visitation on Saturday mornings as well. Over those 42 years he spend a lot of time having fun with family, friends, and Grandma, but he primarily spent his 42 years of retirement in service to the Lord. Only God, my friends.

God receives the credit for His incredible grace and kindness as He did a good work in the life of my Grandad. Grandad’s life demonstrates the truth of Paul’s words:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Grandad was God’s workmanship. God used him to live Christ and share Christ with so many people. I do not know how many people have been influenced by his life and ministry through the church. Further, who knows how many people have been influenced and continue to be through the lives of his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and others he has mentored. Only God, my friends.

Grandad’s Testimony

He handwrote his testimony when he was 97 years old. He wrote:

This is the testimony of Robert Carson born 5-17-20. On about the last week of April while visiting Calvary Baptist Church in Bowling Green, KY, along with my wife Maxine Carson, I heard for the first time a clear presentation of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Brother Gardevoir Burden the pastor was the speaker. I don’t recall where he took his text from or all that he said. But God knew this was the message I needed to hear. The Holy Spirit applied the truth with deep conviction that opened my understanding of what I truly was, a guilty lost sinner. Under conviction but unwilling to repent, that [conviction] went on for several weeks, seemingly without escape from God’s Word.

About three weeks later, still under conviction and along with encouragement from my wife and Johnny my brother, I finally consented to return to church! This time there was no putting it off! I went to the alter and there confessed to God I was “a sinner guilty without excuse,” and openly confessed my sin, and asked Jesus to forgive me, and save my soul. That moment I was made a new creation in Christ. It was May 14, 1950.

Today, sixty-sever years later, I am more convinced that Jesus is still willing to save all that will believe. To those who have really experienced that personal relationship in Christ, share [your] testimony, let God use you as a life source, through the Spirit of God!

When he had been saved for 70 years (May 14, 2020), I called him on the phone. Here is a recording of part of our conversation we had together on the anniversary of his salvation – his spiritual birthday.

A Few Thoughts…

As I have considered summarizing Grandad’s life, I thought of these key principles and passages:

  • He loved and feared God. As Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Grandad loved and feared the Lord. He never lost the passion for Jesus as he sought to honor the Lord in everything (2 Corinthians 5:9, 14-15).
  • He walked in the Spirit. The Apostle Paul explains that when one walks in the Spirit, the result will be, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:19-21). I experienced the results of this my entire life.
  • He shared the Gospel boldly. He once prayed with me as I went to share the Gospel with a lady dying of cancer. As I drove to her house, Grandad prayed with me on the phone. He asked God to help me while I did “His errand.” For sure, Grandad often shared the Gospel with so many people. He was a great steward of the Gospel. “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20″
  • He discipled those around him. Grandad taught the Bible in church for 60 years. Plus, he spend hours upon hours of one-on-one time with people. Often, the Bible was in that conversation. He understood what Paul wrote to Timothy, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2).
  • He loved his family and church family well. When God gave the first and second great commandments to the disciples, God was not simply giving good principles to know; God gave instruction for life. A true disciple is marked by his obedience to the Lord. Grandad loved God and certainly loved others. As his family, we were the first beneficiaries. Those who were his church family also received so much love. And, his friends benefited as well. We were well loved. “Jesus said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”” (Matthew 22:37-40).

 

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