Passing on the Baton

By David Montgomery

I recently attended the funeral service of the father of my good friend and prayer partner Sylvia Fitzsimmons. The service was actually a celebration of the life of Tommy Scott. He and his wife had left our shores to travel to Brazil many years ago to serve the Lord as missionaries in that country. They served for over 30 years. Not only was I impressed with this but, I can recall a brief conversation I previously had with Tommy Scott when he shared how he had literally led hundreds of people to Christ through his mission work. However, I was even more impressed when several friends, family members and ministry colleagues shared stories about Tommy. These people not only spoke of a faithful servant but a man who deeply loved his Saviour. This theme was constant with every obituary given during the service.

Then an amazing thing happened as the minister brought proceedings to a close with the benediction. Sylvia rose to her feet and addressed the congregation. She exclaimed that what we had all heard was indeed a reflection of the special person she called Dad. However, for us to be impressed with the life story of her Dad yet do nothing in response would serve for nothing. She challenged us to think about the relationship between Elijah and Elisha.

We all know the story well. Elijah is taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire; his mantle divides the river and Elisha requests a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. When the mantle falls from the departing Elijah, Elisha quickly goes and picks it up. Elisha is then able to part the waters of the river in similar fashion as Elijah because he now had his mentor’s mantle. And so, Sylvia ended her thought by laying down the challenge to those of us who had heard that day the wonderful stories, and the endearing love that Tommy Scott had for his Saviour by asking, “So who is going to pick up his mantle?”

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As I listened to Sylvia I was reminded of a personal story from my own life. Some years ago I was asked to speak at a leaders retreat. I used as my text Hebrews 11:39-40, “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

That day I asked each attendees to write on an A4 size piece of paper the date they were born again and came to know the Lord Jesus. Each participant completed the task and when they handed the paper back to me I rolled it into a scroll. I then asked those in the room, “What type of race are we as followers of the Lord Jesus participating in?”

I pointed out that it is obviously not a sprint nor a middle distance race. Indeed, it’s not a marathon as some would proport. According to our scripture text it is a relay race. What these verses are teaching us is that all who have gone before have not received the promise because they are waiting for us. They cannot be made perfect without us. It’s like watching an athletics event. One runner in a team sets out on the first leg then hands on the baton to the next teammate and so the process continues until the whole team reach the finish line. In similar fashion to my friend Sylvia I asked everyone present, “Who are you going to hand the baton over to?”

I then shared my testimony and how on 18th July 1975 I entered a tent while attending a Boys Brigade summer camp and asked the camp Chaplain to lead me to the Saviour. His name was Denis Bannerman, a Presbyterian Minister. That day my life was transformed by the Lord Jesus as Mr. Bannerman led me in my prayer of repentance.

When I finished my lesson I was approached by a lady by the name of Anne Cairns. Anne explained how, as a young woman, her desire was to go to the mission field. Unfortunately Anne took ill and was never able to fulfil this desire. But, Anne asked the Lord if he would give her six young men that she could mentor and to whom she could pass on the baton and, who in turn would pass that baton on to others in the race. Wow, what a moment that was for me. Here I was teaching other leaders to pass on the baton to someone and yet right in front of me was standing this Godly lady who had passed on her baton to Dennis Bannerman and who in turn had passed the baton to me.

Anne has now finished her race but is waiting for me at the finish line. Mr. Bannerman will be there and those to whom I pass the baton will be there too.

And so my challenge to you as the reader is very simple. Are you leaving a legacy? Is someone going to pick up your mantle? Are you going to pass your baton to another who will meet you along with the rest of us at the finish line?