Thaumastos
How many amazing people do you know? Not just good or great. I’m talking knock your socks off, jaw dropping, standing ovation, how did they do that … amazing.
All but two of the New Testament writers described Jesus as amazing. The actual word they used was Thaumastos. When the Greek writer used the word Thaumastos, it was used to describe someone worthy of pious admiration. An extraordinary person. A marvelous and excellent person. Let me tell you a story about such a man…
At a US Marine boot camp in 1959, cadets were preparing to take their final physical fitness exam. After weeks of grueling work, the class was ready to get this test behind them. But one cadet was nervous … David. David was a great Marine cadet, full of enthusiasm, intelligence, and desire to serve his country. So what made David so nervous about this test?
The chin-up bar …
David was a “large” Marine and lacked the upper body strength to complete the required number of chin-ups needed to pass the fitness test. It had been an ongoing challenge for David since the beginning of boot camp and the whole class knew it. All through boot camp, his brother cadets encouraged and pushed David to be his personal best. But he still could not pull out the required number on his own. And the day had come when David had to face the drill Sgt and the test … alone. Failing the test meant failing boot camp … David would not become a Marine.
One of the cadets in David’s class saw the inevitable and was determined not to let his brother cadet fail. This was the cadet’s plan …
The drill Sgt grading the test didn’t know faces. Therefore, every cadet wore a t-shirt with their last name and serial number printed across the front. Cadets were lined up and pushed through tests in efficient assembly line formation. The drill Sgt would read the name and number on the t-shirt and record the grade in the appropriate blank on the score sheet. “Next!” would advance the line forward.
Our Thaumastos cadet’s last name was near the top of the alphabetical list. David’s last name was near the middle. When the Thaumastos cadet’s name was called, he did his required number of chin-ups without breaking a sweat. The drill Sgt looked at the name and number on the t-shirt, recorded the grade, and yelled “NEXT !” The line advanced, but this cadet, unnoticed, strangely moved to the middle of the line.
He found David and switched places with him, putting on David’s t-shirt. The line advanced and soon David’s name was called … But it wasn’t David stepping forward. It was the other cadet. That cadet pulled out another round of the required number of chin-ups. The drill Sgt looked and the name and number on the t-shirt, recorded the passing grade, and yelled, “NEXT !”
David passed the physical fitness test and became a US Marine. All because of an amazing, Thaumastos, cadet that did his own and David’s required chin-ups. Twice the work! Is this cadet worthy of admiration? You bet. Extraordinary? I think so. Worthy of the Greek adjective Thaumastos? Without a doubt.
That cadet went on to become a great man. He has inspired me my whole life and still continues to amaze me today. His name …
Bobby Aycock, my dad.
I am truly blessed to have an earthly father with such compassion, heart, and dedication …
… on earth as it is in heaven.
(SIDE NOTE) Three years ago, that 67 year old Marine (my dad) cranked out more chin-ups than the Marine recruiter AND the gathered cadets at a Marine recruiting station, much to their embarrassment. HUA!
Hey, I know that Marine!
Nice narrative, Bill.