With many posts on Facebook of this news, especially reading from those Christians who love criticizing reformed position, particularly on predestination and gender issue, I thought to myself: To achieve greatness, to be known, which although is not the goal, what is it that one is known and respected for? To be known and honored by those who have no idea of the position you stood against theirs? Or to be honored by those whom you have made clear of your opposing views with each other nonetheless?
I believe Keller is one of those whom if you truly know him, you know what he's criticizing, even against those who were looking up to him yet didn't get it. This is one example, by my guess:
My last phone call conversation with Tim was on a late Sunday night – it was a rare occurrence, to be sure, so I had thought that perhaps he wanted to speak about something urgent. I was amazed that he wanted to talk about how to communicate a Christian theory of truth to a twelve-year old. He called from Bethesda, Maryland, where he was receiving treatment. He was always thinking about how to talk about Jesus well. Tim was an evangelist to the very end.
My first impression from the above statement was: That Keller probably saw some talent and interest in Sutanto but that he wished Sutanto to gear his gift in theology towards the lay people rather than the academia. But Keller does it so subtly as he always did, that most people just don't get it and focused on his hospitable tolerant manner instead. His wife, Kathy, had balanced that out after all. Of course, this is highly speculative on my part, though not without good reason. I would that Nathaniel in his last line said something like "Tim was a surprising yet humbling mentor to me to the very end" instead. But what Sutanto didn't get, I shall keep in my heart.
Keller's desire to be with the Lord on multiple occasions is publicly known as his son Michael Keller made sure of it:
He expressed many times through prayer his desire to go home to be with Jesus..."I’m thankful for the time God has given me, but I’m ready to see Jesus. I can’t wait to see Jesus. Send me home."
This is a wake up call to all mediocre Christians, those who might fear that they are too far from the Lord, that they have drenched themselves in mud so deep in hypocrisy that they would be shy to have Jesus look at them in the end.