A Tough Issue

We’ve all been to at least 1 funeral service in our time. Frankly, I don’t like funerals. On the other hand, I love services called Celebrations of Life, because that is exactly what they are. There’s a difference between the two—and it’s often a glaring difference.

Frankly, I’ve been to some funerals for some pretty awful people—and that is not said in a judgmental way. In those cases, sadly, the deceased had absolutely no relationship with the Lord, and the lives they lived were a clear reflection of the lifestyle they chose. That said, I have never heard a Minister or Funeral Director speak the truth at one of those funerals. I’ve never heard something like;

 “Jack never embraced Christianity, nor did he live a life which showed any indication that he understood what being a follower of Christ means. He seemed to care only about himself first, and his family last. He was known to chase around on his wife, and he was abusive toward his kids. He provided, but he was not a good husband or father.”

Instead, at those services I’ve heard what seemed to me to be rather insincere efforts to offer the families and friends of the deceased some hope and feel good message that the deceased was indeed going to heaven. There is never any mention of the kind of life the person led—unless it is of their accomplishments that really have little bearing on their eternity.

At the Celebrations of Life services I’ve attended, the differences from a regular funeral are glaring. At the celebrations there is no doubt that the deceased had a fabulous relationship with the Lord, and that they led their life in service to the Lord and to others. There is never an iota of doubt that the person was truly loved, and that he impacted, in a very positive way, the lives of most who knew him. Lastly, there is, at those celebrations, a very dominant sense of joy among all present, a joy that comes from the knowledge that the deceased is indeed at the feet of Jesus in Heaven.

Bottom Line Thought:  Since it is a known fact that we all die, do you prefer just a funeral or a Celebration of Life for your remaining family to remember you by? Are there changes you need to make so a celebration can take place?