I don’t recall when it was, but sometime between 2012 and 2015, I found myself watching episodes of Duck Dynasty. This would NOT have normally been on my list of things to do, so Kenny likely had something to do with it. I wasn’t a die-hard fan, but I was definitely intrigued. Reality shows seemed ridiculous and not based in reality at all. This was different and I quickly learned why.
Phil Robertson was not liked by a lot of people. His words were thought to be abrasive and some even believed he was hateful. His clothing didn’t usually meet worldly standards and his house certainly didn’t either. The relationship he had with his wife (Miss Kay) rang in stark contrast to the ideas of many as well. But Phil wasn’t worried about any of those things. Phil didn’t really worry about anything.
It might seem strange that I’m writing about Phil Robertson. I’ve obviously never met the man. I can assure you I never could’ve or would’ve done many of the things he did in life. But we had at least one significant thing in common: we love Jesus and want others to know the Gospel Truth. Unfortunately for Phil, that often resulted in people seeing him as mean, hateful, or judgmental. Truth be told, he just spoke the Word of God every chance he had, and the Word of God is offensive to some.
I believe it was 2019 when the Unashamed podcast debuted. I hadn’t jumped on the podcast bandwagon yet, but I kept hearing how incredible it was. It must have been in the middle of Covid and after my chemo and radiation were complete that I made the decision to listen to one of the releases. That was it. I was hooked.
From one episode to the next, you never really knew what was going to happen. There could be intense and deeply theological discussions about the original Hebrew text in Leviticus one minute and the next minute would be a story from Phil that sounded something like, “So, I’m guessing you’ve been gettin’ drunk, doin’ them drugs, and tryin’ to get in that lady’s britches”. Those stories never grew old. And to hear from his sons, nephews, grandsons, and others always confirmed that Phil was just always Phil. From the time he was 28 years old and committed his life to Jesus, he had three priorities: Love God, shoot ducks, and love others ~ in that order. He never wavered. They always knew where he stood.
I had over eight hours on the road yesterday and today traveling to Cleveland and back. I hadn’t listened to any podcast episodes since Phil’s death on the Sunday of Memorial weekend. Traveling alone for that many hours seemed like the perfect opportunity.
What an amazing legacy. What a servant of God. Phil himself never understood the impact of his life. He was simply obedient to the task given and many of us have been the recipients of the wisdom he shared and the laughter he induced. If you’ve never listened, I highly encourage trying it. Just once. You won’t find a hateful or mean man. You’ll find Phil Robertson, self-proclaimed worst sinner saved by the grace of God and a fantastic example of Hebrews 13:7.
Hebrews 13:7 ~ Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.