The Testament

I’m reminded of a book by John Grisham...

I’ve told this story a few times to different friends but I once drove from Ohio to Texas and to pass the time, decided to listen to John Grisham’s The Testament. The novel opens to a scene in which the children of a billionaire are discussing and arguing about who will be receiving the most money once the “old man” dies. Little did they know, their father was upstairs granting his entire estate to an illegitimate child no one knew about. He then kills himself, ensuring his last will and testament is carried out.

The protagonist of the book, a young lawyer named Nate whose firm represents the estate, is charged with finding this child named Rachel and letting her know that she is now wealthier than she can ever imagine. It turns out that Rachel is a missionary tucked away in the jungles of the Amazon and Nate has a long and difficult journey ahead of him to find her.

But it is more than a journey of physical danger and adventure - it turns out that Nate’s encounter with Rachel the missionary becomes life-altering for both…

When Rachel is first approached by Nate, she dismisses him, his message, and the material support she is entitled to. But over the course of their friendship, Nate convinces Rachel of all the incredible Good Work she can do and the power of her efforts because of the money.

Similarly, Nate is inspired by how Rachel lives her life. A recovering Catholic, Nate is as far from the church as he’s ever been. Yet, because Rachel extends a comforting hand (and doesn’t force her beliefs on to him - a reference to what I wrote in the Genesis Story), Nate returns to DC and becomes involved with his local parish, bringing him closer to God.

To me, this is what a student of Christ should continually strive to do - inspire and love, not force and cajole. And when I seek teachers, I pay attention more to what they do rather than what they say.