CBC Worship Ministries: Devotional Blog

When it rains it pours. Now you all know me pretty well, so you know that is a rare occasion for me to officiate at a funeral. In the space of one week I've done two. Two vastly different circumstances as well. The first, a fifteen-year-old girl that committed suicide; the second, a forty-six-year-old cancer victim. Even though these two women were separated by generational differences and cause of death, the topic at both of the services was amazingly the same: the character of the departed. Both families wanted me to focus on who that person was rather than on what they did. Sure, accomplishments were important, but not nearly as important as making sure that those who attended the memorial services remember the type of person - the character traits, the personality, the spirituality, the faith and convictions of the person.
This is hard for me personally. I'm one who has, in most of my years, tried to "achieve" rather than "be". I've asked people to look more at my accomplishments than my character. At times I've focused so strongly on the "achieve" that I haven't even recognized when it was plowing people under. In recent years, however, it's become abundantly clear to me that "being" is far more important than "doing".
Why should I be surprised? Jesus made it extremely clear when he visited the home of Mary and Martha. Martha, of course, the doer; and Mary, content to just "be". You might be curious as to why I'm writing about this to you today. I think because it is so fresh in my mind that at the end of one's life - when that person's life is summed up so quickly in a span of mere minutes - the focus will not be on the achievements but on the "being". I looked again at the words of Jesus in Luke 10. . .. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
If it's that important to Jesus, it should be that important to us as well. As worship leaders, it is far too easy to get caught up in the "doing" side of things. . . being a great musician, an excellent communicator, a diligent worker. All wonderful . . . but how's our character? It is far more important that we reflect the person of Christ in what we do. So I challenge you today to write your own memorial service homily. Write about what you want people to most remember you for. . . I think you'll even surprise yourself at how much you will focus on your own character. Then make that your goal and commit it to the Lord. Watch and see how God changes you from the inside out.
I'm not looking forward to doing another funeral. They're tough to do. But I have to say that I was blessed, inspired and encouraged to see how God can and does use the very circumstances of life to make us into His image. So get started on that homily. . . and start "being" today!