Funeral Today

Today, I have a funeral.  It can be a real challenge to minister to people at this trying time of life.  Emotions are in an uproar.  Sometimes civil war erupts amongst family members.  Sometimes there may be feelings of hostility or bitterness toward the deceased.  The minister's response to these things can be critical to helping the family be able to start dealing with the challenges they are dealing with in a health way.

People often ask me if its hard to minister to families that are not part of your flock.  Sometimes its advantageous to have a connection with the family when death happens, and the family begins to grieve.  Other times, if the Pastor has not been a part of the family circle, it can be better for him to be a calming outside influence.  He can be an unbiased and unconflicted force for sanity and peace as he has nothing to gain by being a part of the family drama.  Here, the Pastor can well represent God as the one who in no respecter of persons.   It really depends on the situation.

Always, however, my role is to remind people of the inevitability of death, and of the savior who stands ready, on the other side,  to receive those who do business with him on THIS side of glory.

How do you help others walk the path of grief?  What role do you see yourself having when others have lost a loved one?  Do your friends and neighbors see you as a safe person to go to for prayer and counsel when its needed?