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The Meek Inherit The Kingdom
- Rick Dancer
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The Meek Inherit The Kingdom of God
I live in a small farming town in Montana.
2200 plus people call the area home.
It’s a quiet town, sometimes too quiet but it’s Townsend.
When we first moved here three years ago we noticed the guy riding around town on his lawnmower.
We snickered a little.
The thing has flags, a stuffed toy moose and now a skeleton on it.
He’s on his second lawnmower, the first one was getting old and someone gave him a newer model.
But we soon learned the “Crazy Man” was not so crazy he was Roland Heaton a Vietnam Vet, cancer survivor and a man who serves only two things, his God and his fellow man.
I learned at his memorial service yesterday that Roland drove a lawnmower because he didn’t want to spend money on car insurance.
He never went over four miles per hour and he lived his life the same way….slow and purposeful.
I did an interview with Roland a couple years ago.
He’s a quiet, rather reserved man, but in his eyes you could see a depth that was almost unnerving. He was a bit stoic in his behavior but you knew he could see things mortal men couldn’t see.
Roland had issues, like all human beings.
PTSD from the war, cancer, drug addictions of the past and personal demons.
But everyone in Townsend, who knew Roland, trusted him.
If a community can have its own Moses, Roland was ours.
At his service the pastor talked of all that Roland had done for the community.
But it wasn’t the usual fanfare, that wasn’t Roland.
He was a very poor man monetarily speaking.
After his death, within hours, the town raised the money needed to give Roland a proper burial.
But during his life if someone needed rent money or money to pay for heat, Roland gave it.
He was the picture of humble.
I didn’t know Roland like many in Townsend but when I see his lawnmower parked on the street like a shrine to this pillar in the community, I know something foundation is no longer.
Roland taught people to hear God. He never had a conversation where God’s name or Jesus’ teachings, were not brought up.
I’m an outsider in this little town but today I saw a heart that shows itself when you take someone important away.
There were a few sad moments but for the most part it was a true celebration of a life lived a lot like Jesus.
Sometimes I think we actually meet angels here on earth disguised as human beings.
If that turns out to be true I won’t be surprised when God reveals the true identity of Roland Heaton.
He loved this town.
He loved this country.
And he loved the people God threw in his way.
The pastor said something I thought was very sweet at the end of the service.
He asked the audience to repeat it and speak it when they think of Roland.
It was simply….”Keep Roland Along.”
Roland, in Townsend, you will never stop Rollin’
