Articles / Blog
When we read about Ezra in the Bible, we meet a man who does not fit the usual mold of a leader. He is not a warrior like Joshua, not a king like David, and not a prophet like Isaiah. Ezra is quieter. He is a priest, a scribe, and a teacher. His strength is not found in battle or political power, but in his deep commitment to God’s Word and his desire to see God’s people live faithfully. Ezra shows us what it looks like when a person lets Scripture shape their life and their leadership.
Paternus was a man who lived toward the end of the second century, and he left his son a set of last words. Last words are important. They stay with us. Perhaps you remember some last words spoken to you by someone before they passed away. Maybe they said them directly, or maybe they wrote them in a letter, or perhaps they sent a message through someone else. Whatever the form, meaningful last words have a way of settling into the heart.
Paternus’ message to his son was simple and profound:
“First and last, my son, think magnificently of God.”
