In the 70s, he did more than anyone else to show the dangers of driving without seatbelts; the slogan 'clunk click every trip' changed my own driving habits, and meant that when I crashed my car at speed as an unconverted teenager, I got out and walked away instead of - well, the alternative. I was converted the very next day. 'Clunk click' made an eternal difference to me.
He was an enigma, our Jimmy. His charity work was legendary - running more than 200 marathons to raise more than £40million for charity - £20million for the spinal injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital alone. I don't know if it's still there, but when that new unit was first opened, the wall inside had written on it, in large golden letters, 'To the glory of Almighty God, with grateful thanks. Jimmy Saville'. I've no doubt he was sincere; whether his faith was the 'real thing' is a different question.
Did Jimmy Saville save my soul? Of course not. The Lord Jesus Christ did that. But one of the means he used to keep me alive until then was this eccentric, strange, lonely man. To the glory of Almighty God, with grateful thanks. Gary Benfold.
(no humour today)
1 comments:
Most interesting.
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