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PAUL HIEBERT 
 

A TRIBUTE 
 
 

I see him, standing at the podium, 
Composed, with no flamboyance, 

With not the slightest trace  
Of pretence or of confidence 
In himself or any externality. 
He was in touch with Infinity  

 
I perceive, and then discern 

A mind and heart that is dependent, 
Not primarily on scholarship as such, 

Rather a trust, a child-like wonderment, 
Leaning on his Saviour Absolute, 

He was sublimely resolute 
 

He invited revelation 
To descend into erudition, 

Dignity and humility blended 
In a wonderful coalition,  

An embodiment of what he believed, 
The messenger was the message beautifully achieved 

 
I was one of thousands, 

A beneficiary of his giftings 
Attendance in his classes 

Was an immersion so uplifting, 
A redolence of heavenly worth 

He brought it down to earth 
 

Thank you, Paul, for being who you were. 
In these twenty years since graduation 

Your insights, foresights and tuition 
Bringing with them transformation 

Have drawn me closer to Jesus 
And will go on doing so, posthumous 

 
You live on.  Yes, in Heaven it is true, 

But also in minds whose strings  
Like an instrument plucked by a maestro 

Quiver with awakenings, 
The anointed fingering of your scholarship 

Displays the Spirit’s workmanship 
 
 
 



In you the person was the gift 
From Christ the ascended Head; 

Your classroom contributions 
Nutrients, from which we fed, 
Always showing implications 

For cross-cultural communication 
 

The human designed the microchip 
For immense capacity, 

Yet God has fabricated human nature 
For an eternal destiny. 

Humbling yourself like your Master, Paul, 
God’s micro-processor to teach us all 

 
Just like your esteemed namesake 

You too dismissed all fame, 
“I do not deserve to be called an apostle”,  
 Were his words, but also went on to claim, 

“By the grace of God I am what I am” 
His glory was in God’s Lamb 

 
But now you have done the ‘Paradise shift’! 

To receive “your allotted inheritance”1  
 All the ‘summa cum laudes’ that we give to you, 

You will give to Jesus as your remittance 
His is the Name that exceeds all lyrics 
His is the fame beyond all panegyrics 

 
So thank you, Paul, for gracing us all 

We are the better for your commitment 
To Jesus our Lord whom you loved so dearly 

And from whom you received your anointment. 
Your wisdom and knowledge with that of all sages 
Will be part of the blessing of the Age of all ages. 

 
 
 

                         Paul E. Grant 
                              March 2007  Brisbane, Australia 

 
 

Published in the special issue “A Memoriam of Paul G. Hiebert” 

www.globalmissiology.org April 1, 2007  

 

                                                           
1
 Daniel 12:13