Dealing with Death

I attended a funeral today for a 23-year-old guy who was the beloved baby brother of a friend of mine. He was killed over the weekend in a boating accident. The pictures and the presence of friends and family at his funeral were a meaningful testimony to those of us who did not have the pleasure of knowing him. I learned that he loved life; made the most of his time; brought laughter to many; made a difference in the lives of young boy who were struggling to make good choices; was loved by many and was in love with Christ. As I read back over the lessons I learned about this young man, I realized that I hope the same things could be said of my life. What a wonderful legacy – loved life; savored time; made people laugh; invested in others; loved by many and loved the Lord. Thanks, Kurt, for the example of how to live well. Your legacey lives on in the lives of those whom you touched.

Funerals are also a reminder of the need to be careful in the words we provide in the attempt to comfort. Good intentions can be detrimental and ministers can sometimes misquote God in their attempt to provide answers for events that don’t have easy answers. I don’t want someone to give me poor answers to things that I know have no satisfactory answers. I’d rather someone remind me that God grieves with me and will be there for me in the difficult days ahead. His love and grace will carry me through. Let’s focus on that rather than trying to get our heads and hearts around things that we will never comprehend with any degree of satisfaction.

Grateful for the grace and peace of Christ and for another day to live in it –

Melissa