Death:

Death is a hard subject on many levels.  It is particularly hard to try and talk about because not everyone agrees on death issues.  Where do we go after we die, how do we grieve, and what do we say to someone who has lost a loved one?  Christians are notoriously bad at this. We like to think we know all that there is and that our pet answers should just be accepted.

I’ve got news:  It doesn’t work that way.  In the past several weeks I have known of several people who have died, (a couple of them by suicide) and I know of one who is about to die.  How do we talk about that?  While as Christians we may be sure of an afterlife, what in the world to we say to those still in this world?

I think we need to work on this.  We need to develop a stronger sense of sensitivity to those who are lost in the throes of losing someone.  I know this is a need in my life.  I hear you saying “but you are a pastor, how could you not be sensitive?”  It is not a matter of being sensitive; it is a matter of having a full conversation.

For me the reality of Heaven takes over a lot of my grief, but for others that is not so easy.  I am just saying that we need each other and we need all of the emotions, sentiments, and feelings to be in play.  There is no lack of faith when we are overwhelmingly distraught at the loss of someone we love.  So for all you who are Christians, save the platitudes and clichés and just love and be with those, who are hurting. There will be a time in the process to talk about the reality of Heaven and how that helps.  Just make sure that you act like Jesus and stay in the process long after the funeral.