But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.” Acts 13:22
I met and got to know Dave Olney and his wife, Sharon, in the Narthex of the church sanctuary as they greeted and handed out church service programs to people who entered through the center door. Dave and I became pretty good friends over our little conversations back there, and we were always on the same spiritual page as we applied scripture to whatever societal depravation we had identified as needing attention. When Dave saw me, he’d say, “Hey, young man.” So I started saying it to him when I’d see him first, and it just became a thing. One of the wisest men I’ve ever met, Dave’s reverence for God was so great that he actually lived out Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” We’d speak of the ills of the world, and especially this country, and he would get these guarded facial expressions and in a concerned voice he would say, “Ooooh boy.” The bible says King David was a man after God’s heart. Dave Olney was too, but with many less severe dings on his resume. I picture Dave meeting King David, and just saying to him, “Ooooh boy.” In the context of the scripture at the top, I don’t know if Dave did everything God wanted him to do, but if a simple, strong faith and a straight walk with Lord are qualifiers, he got most of it done as a good and faithful servant.
I respected Dave so much because of his honesty, strength of character, straightforwardness, and spiritual humility. His faith was strong and unwavering like an oak, and he was fully unapologetic about it. He lived his life with God’s word as his measuring stick and actually acted on the words in the bible. He provided for his family, and as their spiritual leader made biblical values the family’s foundation as he focused on being obedient to the words of the Lord. He had no computer or internet, no smart or dumb phone, no cable, and proved one could thrive without being immersed in technology. Every Sunday for almost twenty years, Dave and Sharon faithfully loaded up their vehicle and delivered everything held in the office that was destined for the Gospel Center Rescue Mission. I had to almost force him to accept assistance when I proposed getting some of the guys at the GCRM to mow, rake, and do a general cleanup of the large property when his health prevented him from doing so. He was so grateful for the reciprocity, and really enjoyed hanging with the guys who were equally thankful for how much Dave and Sharon had done for the GCRM.
John 14:2-3 says, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.” Well, Jesus came for Dave, and I look forward to visiting Dave in the place Jesus prepared for him. I figure he’ll know I’m coming with all that higher knowledge and stuff that I don’t have yet, and it’ll be pure joy when I hear his voice say, “Hey, young man.”
I believe Psalm 41:12 is perfect for Dave, “And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face forever.”