I believe it was 1995 and I was a relatively new Sunday school teacher at Spotswood Baptist Church. The day I am remembering was a Sunday afternoon and several of us were gathered together for a Sunday school teacher’s meeting. During the meeting one gentleman in particular was participating in the flow of discussion a little more than most. By nature and by profession I am someone who pays close attention to people, so this gentleman quickly captured my attention. It was very apparent that not only was he knowledgeable, but he was enormously passionate on the topic we were discussing. I asked someone later and learned that his name was Charles Nicholls.
What I did not know then was that Charles would be someone that I would get to know fairly well, and that our lives would overlap a lot more than at church. I have had the privilege of having a professional relationship with him for the last eight years or so. In that time, I have learned that when he is committed to something, whether it be his faith, family, business, or friends, he is just as passionate as the first time I observed him.
So, why I am giving honor to Charles Nicholls? I think it is because when I look at him, I see the man I hope to become. I’ve mentioned his passion and “all-in” attitude. He also has a reputation that is beyond reproach, and he is a successful businessman. I admire all these things. They are important, and I strive for those things. But two conversations recently highlight my admiration for the man.
The first conversation was with my wife, Carla. She knows that one of my passions is to give honor to people. I just love even the simple things people do that are good and help others. So, we were discussing my thoughts on my next blog article about giving honor, and I told her I was thinking of writing about Charles Nicholls. Without hesitation my wife said, “He sure did love his wife.”
That seems like a simple statement at first. But, it’s not. It is POWERFUL. When a man so loves and honors his wife that someone’s first thought about him is “He sure did love his wife,” that speaks volumes. Not only did his wife live knowing she was the queen of his heart, but their children saw a supreme example of what love, honor and respect in a marriage looks like. The people around this family saw what that looks like. In my humble opinion, there are far too few men who can live up the bar set by Charles Nicholls in this category. I hope one day I do.
The second conversation was with my friend John Nicholls, the son of Charles Nicholls. When I asked John to describe his father, his answer was so powerful that instead of talk about it, I am going to quote him.
Charles Nicholls – The master at work
Speaking of his father John said, “He is a man of God through and through, a man of sterling character, a Southern Gentleman, an incredibly hard worker, the ultimate professional, lover of his wife and his family, a selfless giver, passionate about his faith, family and profession, a master of his craft, the consummate teacher, the most kind person that I know, my best friend.”
I personally cannot think of an honor more significant to a man than to have that kind of honor, respect and love from his children. Charles, my friend, I hope one day I can say I have lived this life even half as well as you.
SIDE NOTE: If you want to check out the business Charles founded more than 40 years ago, visit www.NichollsAuction.com. They are the cream of the crop in their industry.
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