At Home – by Rudy Gray

If you live long enough, you will have the opportunity to observe people over a large span of years. In a time when we are constantly reminded through the media of failures on the road of life, it is more than encouraging to know some people who have run the race with endurance and grace. M.D. Putnam is such a man.

Rudy Gray

He has been a member of Roebuck Baptist Church in Roebuck for many years. On March 19, he turned 90. He has for so many years been a consistent, steady and calming influence. He never seemed to go too fast, and he never seemed to go too slow. He just kept going. He was never involved in any big controversies, and yet he has maintained a persistent Christian walk. Today, the younger generation of sports-minded people may call him the “go to” man. One of his favorite expressions when talking about future plans is “if the Lord is willing.” He is a remarkable man, but I think he would tell you in his humble way, “I serve a great God.”

I was his pastor for almost 15 years. He was an encourager. He and his wife Jo complement each other tremendously and graciously. She may actually be a big reason why he is so consistent and highly regarded.

I recall when it came time for a school to be built in the community. It would have been named after him. but he insisted that the school bear the name of the community. That kind of humility is what we need in the church today.

We seem to have many apparently good starts in the Christian life and marriage. However, few appear to finish strong. M.D. and Jo Putnam are finishing strong.

Hebrews 12:1 counsels us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We can have a bad start and recover. We can stumble along the way and still recover. But when it comes time to finish our course, there is no time to recover.

At age 90, he continues to be an avid reader of The Baptist Courier. He continues to do some teaching at church, and he continues to read his Bible and other related works. I saw him not too long ago and, honestly, I could not tell he had changed very much in the last 14 years!

To reach a milestone birthday is one thing. However, to do it with such a history of consistent Christian faith and such a commitment to Christ in the present – well, that’s special. May God raise up more and more people like him in our midst.