This is a tribute to my younger brother, Jerry Sims, who, though a year-and-a-half younger than me, has sometimes acted more as the protective big brother who steps in to defend me when I get myself in trouble. When the neighborhood bully is threatening you, it's really nice to have somebody on your side, and Jerry has been that for me - and for others - even though he is by nature a peace lover and a gentle man. He did that for me a couple of years ago when I was engaged in a conflict in the local church, a controversy that started out over matters of principle and should have remained so, but which eventually degraded into a personal clash, and, while staying true to my conscience and obedient to the Lord, I came under personal attack.
When he found out about it, Jerry came alongside of me and stuck up for me, even at the risk of his own reputation and professional advancement as a minister in the Missionary Church. I loved him for it.
But I'm not the only one who has been defended by this big brother. He has also been the champion of every woman who seeks to pursue her God-given gifts and callings as a minister in the Missionary Church. Jerry recently initiated a resolution that would have changed the constitution of the church to allow women to be senior pastors. It didn't pass this time around - and he knew the odds were against it in this very conservative denomination, but that didn't stop him from trying.
I'm reminded that when Jerry presented a eulogy at my dad's funeral a few years ago, he reminded folks of dad's reputation among the superintendents as being a minister who was 20 years ahead of his time. Jerry pointed out that all of dad's kids were cursed with the same trait. Not long after that, he proved it true by launching this initiative to give women equal rights in the church. Though it failed this time, it will probably come up again- in about 20 years- and maybe this next time it will succeed. Of course, there will be a 40-year disparity by then.
Another group that has benefitted from Jerry's protective big brother mode are the constituents of the New Hope Missionary Church in Lapeer, Michigan. The last time I heard Jerry preach was at a Thanksgiving service there, where he spoke on God's grace. I told him afterwards that I appreciated his engaging demeanor with his congregation; he didn't talk down to his people. If you've been in the evangelical church for very long you have possibly experienced your share of condemnation and judgement from the pulpit. Not from Jerry. The virtual posture he conveys is not one of the face-to-face talking-to with the pointing finger in your face, but rather of the side-by-side arm around the shoulder. When he speaks of God's grace, he shows you by example, God's grace, even in times of great personal loss. That is the posture of a friend and brother, more than simply a member of the clergy.
Now I want to mention that Friend who sticks closer than a brother, because Jerry wouldn't be who he is if not for that Ultimate Big Brother, Jesus. To the skeptic or those who simply haven't made up their minds yet about Father God and Big Brother Jesus, if you don't see the evidence in the stars and the galaxies, or in the intricacies of the human body or the animal and plant kingdoms, the next place to look for evidence is in the life of the little Jesus, the people like Jerry, who express the fruit of the spirit and the life of Christ in their everyday lives. Allowing for human frailties, because nobody is perfect-- I mean, Jerry isn't the pope-- you should be able to see the reality of God in the human expression of Christ, in the Jerrys of the world.
And to the believer, I would suggest that if we would quit being so sophomoric, smugly thinking we have all the answers in our evangelical doctrines and theologies, if we could come down to earth, if we could be more like Jerry, the skeptics would be able to see the evidence more clearly. If you can't be like Christ because He's so far away and seemingly unknowable, then be like Jerry, a Christ-ian, a Jesus in the flesh-- again, keeping in mind that we all have our flaws.
That's my tribute to my big little brother, Jerry. If you've never met him, I hope you know someone like him, someone who will be your big brother when you need him, someone who sticks up for you when the bullies of life attack.
I love you, brother. Thanks for being there for me. I'll be there for you!
Do you have a big brother type who has defended you in the past?
