In the late 1970’s Bill Crawford was
a janitor at the U.S. Air Force Academy.* While the cadets’ days were filled
with academics and athletics, morning parades, room inspections, and leadership
classes, Bill Crawford was cleaning toilets, buffing floors, and emptying trash
cans.
He was
shy and unassuming , a gray-haired older man who looked like somebody’s
grandfather. No wonder the cadets didn't take much notice.
But then one
afternoon one of the cadets was reading a book about World War II, and the
Allied ground campaign in Italy. It told the story of a Private William
Crawford, assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, who had been
involved in some bloody fighting in Italy. Private Crawford had, on his own,
taken out three machine gun nests to prepare the way for the advance of his
unit.
And then the
cadet read these words: in the face of intense and overwhelming hostile
fire...with no regard for personal safety...on his own initiative, Private
Crawford single-handedly attacked fortified enemy positions. It continued: ...for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call
of duty, the President of the United States...
The young man
put down the book, and said to his roommate, “You’re not going to believe it,
but I think our janitor won the Medal of Honor.” They couldn’t wait to talk to
him. It was the weekend, but the next Monday they showed Mr. Crawford the page
in the book, and he said, “Yup, that’s me.” He had continued to serve in the
military after World War II and retired in 1967 at the rank of Master Sergeant.
Well, things
were never the same around the squadron. Pretty soon all the cadets knew who
Bill Crawford was, and they started greeting him with a respectful “Good
morning, Mr. Crawford.” They kept their places tidier. And Bill started getting
invited to formal squadron functions. He’d show up in a dark suit and the only
sign of his heroism was a simple, blue, star-spangled lapel pin.
It is possible
to know people, to appreciate them, even to love them, without really knowing
who they are. Some of us grew up loving Jesus. He was for us the gentle
Shepherd, the kind Man who cradled little children in His arms, the ultimate
Servant. We knew of His miracles, but somehow we didn’t realize who He really
was, and the heroism He displayed, and the great victory He won.
Hebrews is
written about the Supremacy of Jesus Christ. The people who first read this
book knew about Jesus. But they really didn’t know Him in His majesty and
fullness. So the first verses of the book are meant to lay out with a wonderful
economy of words seven great descriptions or titles of Jesus. He’s not just the
servant, not just a loving Friend, not just a miracle worker.
We’ve already
talked about how He is Heir of All Things, Creator of the World, and the
Radiance of God’s Glory. This time I want to highlight a fourth truth about His
character: HE IS FULLY GOD. Verse 3 says He is "the exact imprint
of his nature."
"Exact
imprint” originally referred to an instrument for engraving, and then it came
to mean the mark stamped on something, the imprint of a die, like the wax
impression that exactly reflects the seal that made it. Jesus Christ bears the
very stamp of God’s nature.
Paul says the same thing in
Colossians 1:15. He uses a different Greek word, but the same meaning: He is the image of the invisible God. Or later in
Colossians 2:9 he writes, For in him the whole
fullness of deity dwells bodily.
Yes, He is a
Servant, and our dearest Friend. He is also the greatest Teacher the world has
ever known. But we mustn't think of Him as only these things. He won more than
the Medal of Honor. He won heaven's highest accolades for completing His
mission at the cost of His own life - the redemption of all God's people
throughout time.
When you look
at Jesus, you are seeing God.
*I am indebted to Col. James Moschgat's online article "A Janitor's Ten Lessons in Leadership," where I first read Bill Crawford's story: http://www.homeofheroes.com/profiles/profiles_crawford_10lessons.html.
