Well Done Good and Faithful Servant
Looking up at God’s creation reminds us of humility, devotion, and a life well lived.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
(Matthew 25:23)
As the world learned of the passing of Astronaut Jim Lovell at the age of 97, we paused to remember not only a hero of the space program, but by all accounts, a truly good man. His remarkable life offers lessons we can all take to heart.
Perseverance
Lovell was an only child who lost his father in a car accident at the age of five. He and his mother persevered through hardship, and his determination eventually earned him an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1952—a class that astonishingly produced three astronauts for the Apollo Space program.
Devotion
Upon graduating, Lovell married his wife, Marilyn, beginning a marriage that lasted more than seventy years until her passing in 2023. Such lifelong devotion is a rare and beautiful achievement even without the extraordinary aerospace career that followed.
Doing What Is Right for the Team
As a naval aviator, Lovell graduated at the top of his test pilot class, a distinction that normally led to a coveted spot in the elite flight test squadron. But when an admiral complained about receiving “lesser quality” graduates, Lovell accepted an assignment to the Electronic Test Unit instead. He put the needs of the team above his own ambitions—a choice that spoke volumes about his character.
NASA noticed. In 1962, he was selected as one of the “Next Nine,” the group of astronauts who would fly America’s missions in the race to the moon. Lovell flew four missions—two in Gemini and two in Apollo.
Humility
Though the world remembers him most for the heroics of Apollo 13, Lovell considered Apollo 8 the pinnacle of his career. That Christmas Eve in 1968, he and crewmates William Anders and Frank Borman became the first humans to orbit the moon, passing just 60 miles above its surface.
As they circled the moon ten times, they took turns reading from the book of Genesis, recognizing from that unique vantage point how small they were in God’s creation—and how wondrous that creation truly is.
A Life Well Lived
Perseverance. Devotion. Team over self. Humility. Jim Lovell lived these values in full measure.
While Neil Armstrong will forever be remembered as the first man on the moon, Lovell stands as an enduring example of what is best in the human spirit.
RIP, Jim Lovell. Well done, good and faithful servant.
Have a GREAT week!