Max - Son of God
I met Max over 12 years ago, but nothing about us meeting was a coincidence! My wife LJ, myself and our newborn daughter Izzy were about to move from San Diego (CA) to Grand Rapids (MI). Back then, I was a new believer and about to leave my church and support behind. I prayed to my Father in heaven that he would continue to guide me and help me grow in my faith. Little did I know at the time that 2200 miles away Max was praying that God would bring another man into his life. Both of our prayers were answered. To me that’s God just showing off or as Max used to look at it: 1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
I remember the first time Max and I met. He asked me “Do you know what a Christian is?” With confidence I replied: “Absolutely, …” Little did I know that my real journey of understanding and following Christ was just about to begin. Max met with me almost every week for over twelve years and kept pointing me in the right direction to get closer to God. He did it with so much love, kindness, endless patience and understanding. He had the ability to be fully present and let the holy Spirit use him as a vessel to communicate what had to be said. I think one of Max’s favourite verses was: Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” He truly represented this in his daily walk. He was never too concerned about his basic needs for life, but he had plenty of stories to share with others when God took care of him and his family over and over again.
Not only did Max guide me spiritually but he witnessed to everyone around him what it looks like to walk with God. As a matter of fact, hours before he was called home he handed a little booklet to our waitress at the restaurant where we had breakfast. It was the ‘Bridge To Life’ by the navigators, explaining our separation from God and how to overcome it! He always came prepared, always gentle and respectful when sharing his faith and always ready to explain where his hope was coming from. At one point the Weighmink’s family took us in for several weeks and let us live with them under their roof. It was the first time I truly saw what family life looks like when a family’s life is centered around Christ Jesus. Not only did he and his family take care of our physical needs but Max and Dawn saved my marriage with their guidance, wisdom and commitment to keep pointing us in the direction of our savior Jesus Christ. It was never about him, but always about God our Father and helping the people around him to get to know their Creator.
Another verse that Max quoted frequently: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Max quoted and referenced continuously from the word of God. I don’t know if you have ever seen one of Max’s bibles? Almost every, if not every verse is underlined and his thoughts have been added wherever there was room for it. He truly loved all of it, he didn’t pick and choose. Over the years I have gotten to know my Father in heaven, learned how to trust in Jesus Christ and be thankful for the Holy Spirit guiding me through life. I have learned how to glorify God. I have witnessed, discipled and fellowshipped with other men because I knew what it looked like due to my brother in Christ Max Weighmink. I have been in and out of fellowship with my Father in heaven but for the past twelve years I never walked alone. Thank you for your friendship, thank you for being my brother and most of all thank you for letting God our Creator use you for his purpose. Max was truly a man of God. He valued spirituality over material things and he served everyone. THANK YOU MAX!
-Stephan L