A friend from my youth passed away this weekend. Another was buried Monday. That makes four deaths of guys from my high
school and college days in the last four weeks.
Not to make light of the situation but I’m starting to understand why
one of my former church members told me he got to the place in life where he
began each day reading the obituaries and if he didn’t see his name listed, it
was a good day. While I always like to
look for humor in every situation but there is nothing funny about death and
funerals. No matter the situation,
whether the deceased was young or old, the passing sudden and unexpected or
anticipated from a lengthy sickness; even among people of strong faith there is
always a family or loved ones who are heartbroken. There is no getting around the sadness of
death.
I hate death! I
always have. I still remember my first
experience with death. I was in
elementary school and Jim, my beloved German shepherd who was my companion and
protector, was hit by a passing car. He
was gravely injured but managed to make it back to the back porch where my father
told me that he was hurt too badly there was nothing we could do for him but be
with him. Although that was nearly 60
years ago I am still emotionally moved remembering Jim’s big brown eyes looking
at me as I sat with him while he breathed his last.
Since then I have experienced the loss of friends and family
on many occasions. As a minister I have
been at the bedside with those passing from this life and tried to comfort
their loved ones. I have also had to be
the calm in the emotional storm created by tragic accidental deaths. While I did my best in each funeral or death
experience, I never liked dealing with death.
I have hated death since it took Jim away from me as a child. Although I offered and sought comfort from God’s
word and the grace of Christ I still have always hated the separation that
death caused.
I don’t apologize for my hatred of death; in fact I am in
good company with that emotion. Jesus
didn’t care for death either. If you
look you, as I have, you will find that he ruined every funeral he
encountered. He called Lazarus out of
the grave, raised the widow’s son from Nain, as well as the daughter of
Jairus. Can you imagine the conversation
of funeral directors when they heard Jesus was coming? “Be
sure to get them to sign the ‘no refund’ clause since Jesus is in town!” He is the only person in history who
‘borrowed’ a tomb. He didn’t need it
very long, one weekend was enough.
His encounter with the death of Lazarus in John 11 gives
insight into the feelings he had for death.
John 11:33 & 38 describe Jesus as “deeply moved in spirit and
troubled.” ‘Deeply moved’ comes from the Greek word, embrimáomai which
means "to snort" – properly, snort like an angry horse; (literally)
"snort (roar) with rage" which expresses strong indignation, i.e.
deep feeling that is moved to sternly admonish. And ‘troubled’ is from the
Greek, tarassō meaning; to agitate, trouble, cause one inward commotion, take
away his calmness of mind, and disturb his composure. Jesus was clearly
upset. Verse 35 is the only time in the
Bible where Jesus is described as weeping.
It is also the shortest verse in the Bible (hey, if you are going to
memorize scripture you gotta start somewhere). So while Jesus was saddened with
the death of his friend he was chiefly agitated and angry at death. Jesus hated death. He contrasted his purpose with the author of
death in John 10:10; “The thief does not come except to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they
may have it more abundantly.”
An abundant life does not necessarily mean a long life. A recent study showed that stubborn people
actually lived longer. I have known some
people who lived a long time but spent most of that time being stubborn, angry,
mean and bitter. I heard it said about
one person that they didn’t die but just ‘meaned’ away. Randy Pausch, the author of The Last Lecture, said it this way, “We don't beat the
reaper by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well and living
fully."
Subsequently the best way to live a full life is not found
in the; “Me first, It’s my life and I’m looking
out for #1, I’m going to do whatever I want to do” attitude that much of
the world adopts. That attitude actually
causes the agony or ‘sting of death’ referred
to in I Corinthians 15:56. Death has a
sting, which touches all sorts of persons, young and old, rich and poor, high
and low, bond and free; it gives bitterness, agony, and misery as a poisonous
and venomous sting. And the only way to
remove the venomous sting comes from following the life of Jesus. He did not live long but look at what he did
with his time on earth. He loved
everyone he met. He forgave those who
mistreated him. He helped everyone who
allowed him to do so. Although he could
have rightfully claimed superiority, he never put himself above others instead
he humbly looked to serve everyone he encountered. He never avoided God wanted him to do…even
when it was difficult or caused personal suffering. He then used the suffering he experienced to
benefit those around him.
So while it is ok to hate and be angry with death, don’t get
stuck there. What is the best way to
deal with that emotion since death cannot be avoided? Well, other than being more careful, I don’t want
to go out too soon from doing something stupid…you do know the last words of a
redneck are; “Hey y’all, watch this!” I like to stick my finger in the eye of death
by laughing and having as much fun each day as I can. I try to live each day with gratitude, joy
and love enjoying each breath of this fragile, precious and fleeting life as my
revenge against death. Follow the
teaching and pattern of Jesus as you love everyone you encounter, forgive those
who are hardest to love putting your feelings aside while you seek to do what
God put you here at this moment to do!
