We live in an age fixated on outward appearance and less concerned about inward character. The effects are seen from Hollywood to Washington -- from courts to ballparks -- from corporate boardrooms to school classrooms. The value or usefulness of a person is often assessed upon their clothing brand, physical features, weight, accent or other equally superficial criteria. In this tendency to focus on the outward man, the priority of the inner character has been lost in all too many today. Sadly, the lack of attention given to the inward man has also devastated churches and individual souls across the land.
That devastation can be heard in listening to the aspirations of many professing Christianity. They want church buildings with all of the finest in furnishings. They want worship services filled with humor, emotion, stories and singing perfectly in tune and directed with theatrics. In their individual lives, they want wealth and fame, a beautiful wife or handsome husband, and popular children admired for their talent and charm. We could ask, "Do you want to be filled with God's word, godly in every aspect of daily life, and a member of a strong church known for defending the truth and rejecting error?" "Oh, yes, that too," they would surely say, but almost as though it was an after-thought. But let me tell you, that does not describe the kind of man we all knew in Verble Flatt.
A phrase used by the apostle Paul well depicts the desire of Verble as I saw him. Paul said that he and those around him wanted to be seen as conducting themselves "in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God" (2 Cor. 1:12). Those characteristics of the inward man of Verble are what made him so special to all of us and why he will be so sorely missed.
Verble Flatt conducted himself with a simplicity that clearly showed his priority was upon serving God. At an early age growing up in Tennessee, he left formal schooling to work as was necessary for many in that time. But Verble came to know the simple truth through the example of truth put into action in the life of his first wife, Suil, and by hearing the gospel message preached from men depending solely upon the book, chapter and verse direction of God's word. Paul voiced his concern over the vacillating path of those in Corinth when he said,
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ (2 Cor. 11:3).
I can honestly say that I never feared Verble being pulled away from the simplicity and purity he had found in Christ. Yes, I am certain he had his own struggles in his life as a Christian, but being taken away by complex philosophies or elaborate errors was not one of them. Instead, as an humble man, he focused on the plain truth and clung to it with a trusting faith in the God who gave it (Psa. 131:1-3). On more than one occasion, he asked me why some men could not see the simple truth, but instead left it for the confusion of error. The fact is that God has designed His truth in a way that people of simple, trusting faith will come to it while those infatuated with their own wisdom will reject it (Matt. 11:25). Verble loved the simple truth. He loved to hear it preached. And he loved gospel preachers who preached it in its purity and simplicity. May God bring forth many more of his tribe.
In my life, I have been blessed to know a number of men and women who were absolutely sincere in their godly lives. Verble was another I can add to that number. There was no pretense or feigned piety in him. With Verble, you saw what you got -- a man "in whom there is no guile" (Jn. 1:47). His love for God and the truth was genuine just as the Bible commands (2 Cor. 2:17; Phil. 1:10; 2 Kgs. 18:6). That love for God caused him to be at every service even when he was in constant pain and fatigue. Verble's love for his brethren in Christ was not only in word, "but in deed and truth" (1 Jn. 3:18; 1 Pet. 1:22). There are brethren across the country and even across the seas who have been the recipients of his benevolent love and concern. When Verble said something, no one had to ask if he really meant it. He said it because he believed it to be the truth and he said it without any veil attempting to deceive through vague wording. May God help us all to exhibit the godly sincerity shown in our brother's life.
On May 7, 2003, our brother Verble was taken from this life at the age of 80 to meet the Lord in
Whom he had his hope. Our hearts are sorrowed and our sympathies are extended to Ruth, Jerry,
Bill and the entire family. Let us do all that we can to comfort them in their loss. But let us also
remember that this loss is also part of a great gain. I have every confidence that death was a gain
to Verble (Phil. 1:21). The death of a fellow saint also causes those of us left behind to view
heaven with greater reality and to learn from the life of the one who has passed from this life. For
the rest of my life, I will remember Verble Flatt. I will remember a man who lived a simple life of
purity and sincerity, a man that loved the truth and stood steadfastly with those teaching it -- and I
will thank God for blessing us all with such a man.
by Rhymer Knight
From the rolling hills of Tennessee,
Came an humble country boy;
What men could dream that in later years,
The hope of heaven he'd enjoy?
With honor he served his country,
To bring a peace upon our world;
But he desired the greatest honor,
Of seeing heaven's flag unfurled.
When he learned the truth of God's holy word,
He obeyed without delay;
To walk God's strait and narrow road,
To make heaven's way his way.
He sought to instruct his family,
To live a wholesome, godly life;
To ne'er engage in deeds questionable,
That gender evil ways and strife.
Some things brought pleasure in daily life;
Fishing, eating, or a teasing word;
But earthly things were far down the line,
From his desire to serve the Lord.
The name of Flatt is quite well-known,
By folk on this earthly sod;
Verble never sought renown by men,
But be know, instead, by God.
In some words he might be halting,
But his aims were always good;
And no one ever had to guess,
Where our brother Verble stood
He shared, in life, three precious mates;
The third, dear Ruth, is lonely still;
Each treasuring that special relationship,
In harmony with God's holy will.
Verble never claimed perfection;
He knew the weaknesses we see on our way;
But he sought, in daily prayer, to live,
Closer to God each day.
Rhymer H Knight (May 13, 2003)