Yesterday I was at the funeral for a friend’s Dad. The viewing and service were both held at
the Funeral home. As you would expect the staff was well rehearsed on how to guide everyone in attendance. They knew how to speak with their family, anticipate their needs and meet those needs. This was especially apparent at the gravesite.
I mentioned to another attendee that watching the casket lowered was the hardest part of my grandfather’s funeral. He shared that it is often the most difficult part for many people. Just then our mini observation was interrupted by the funeral director.
He began as if he had overheard us. ”Walking away from grave is often very hard but we must remember. We are not leaving a person behind. They are no longer in this body. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”
He said more but that really struck me. He had anticipated what the mourners were experiencing because he had been down this path before – MANY TIMES. Also the director had learned and honed how to aid others to understand what they are experiencing.
Now that makes me think of each of us. We all carry the memory of hard times when the Lord was trying to teach us something. This insight helps us make sense of our lives and can do much more. We can share that knowledge and comfort.
The comfort we received while suffering is made to be shared. See 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
