Right before Spring Break, a true asset to humanity left us. His name was Billy Graham. Whether you are a Christian or not, I think it is easy to agree that Billy Graham was an exceptional man and a role model of how to live.
For me, I had always grown up knowing about Graham, but I never realized just how big of an impact he had on our world until his death.
Graham advised 12 United States presidents, preached to over 215 million people in 185 countries and was listed in a Gallop poll as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World” more than 50 times.
His sole purpose in life was to let others hear the plan of salvation. Preaching to over 215 million, I would say he reached his goal very well, but he didn’t just preach. He wrote books that sold millions of copies. His son, Franklin Graham, has created organizations to meet people’s needs all over the world, and his sermons have been recorded and played hundreds of thousands of times. Even in his death, Graham was reaching people.
I received a notification on my phone that he had passed, and in it, the plan of salvation was told in his obituary from CNN. In his funeral, 53,000+ people were watching it on Facebook Live, not to mention the thousands watching on the major news networks.
For me, I am kind of in awe that one man could have such an impact, that one man could reach his life goal so well. In a day and age when our celebrity role models are negatively influencing our young people with drugs, gangs etc., Graham reached more people with a positive impact than most celebrities combined.
He preached a message of equality–that no race was superior. He was always lending a hand, and he was always changing lives. The world will greatly miss Billy Graham. I hope someone else steps up to fill his shoes. Our world surely needs it.
