Today's blessing...

[Mike Vande]

My blessing today is another friend of mine. We go back pretty much as far as my buddy Steve. In fact, Steve introduced us. His name is Dave Carter. We met when Steve needed to borrow my bass for a band he was putting together. I wound up invited to be in the band, and Dave was the drummer. We rehearsed over at Dave's mom and dad's house, and I met him when I walked in their door.

That began a long friendship that has seen a lot of changes. I have admired Dave for a lot of things over the years. He is one of the most talented and intelligent men I know. As I said, he was the drummer in one of my first bands, but that's not his main talent. He's a fine visual artist; his drawings, paintings and photographs are often exquisite. But I don't think that's his main talent, either. Dave has studied scripture deeply, and is very well-versed in God's word. He composes expository studies that are impressive, and he could easily be a challenging and revelatory teacher. But that's not his main talent either.

I think Dave's main talent is people.

Dave listens when people talk to him. More than that, he hears what people mean by what they say, sometimes when they don't really know what they mean themselves. He has occasionally seen into my heart, and those of others so deeply that it was pretty amazing.

I have sensed, for lack of a better word, a sort of "softening" in Dave in the last couple of years. I think maybe his heart is finally catching up with his other gifts. If I were to guess, I'd say God is preparing him for a leadership role of some sort, because I think I've seen him becoming the sort of person that God can trust to love and build up His people gently and knowledgeably.

Dave is two years older than me, but I've told him that he is not allowed to leave this world before me, because I can't spare him. He and his family have been among the great blessings of my life, And I thank God for them.