Monday Morning Manna: Funerals, Friendships, and New Year’s Resolutions

There comes a day when one attends more funerals than birthday parties. I’ve been to an unusual number of funerals lately and noticed similarities. People walked by the casket and said things to each other like how natural the deceased looked, as if that were something to look forward to. A minister and possibly a family member or two would say nice things about the one in the casket, as if they could hear. There were flowers, obviously for the benefit of the observers, since dead noses can’t smell roses. And when the service was over, family and friends would likely go to the home of the deceased and eat potato salad and ham, given in love and appreciation by friends. More stories would be shared. I know that one day I will be the object of all of this, and I only regret that I won’t be alert to experience it. But to the point of my paragraph – I’ve had a similar thought at every recent funeral – I wish I had been a better friend to the deceased. The Apostle Paul encourages us to “comfort each other and edify one another” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). I enjoy my busy lifestyle and my often, crowded agenda, except at funerals, when I experience regret. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, since some seem destined to be broken, but I’ll try hard to keep this one – doing a better job of being a friend with my friends. How about you?

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dr. Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.