Last Monday morning I had a funeral for a man named Frank Duffy. Frank died of a tragic accident and I got the call to do the service. Why? Because I had done a funeral for a friend of his who died suddenly a month ago. Frank's wife was at that service and she appreciated what I said at Dave's service and immediately thought of me.
The truth is that this woman did what so many of our friends do. When they are overcome by life's problems, they look to those who have been there in the past. Your friends will look to you for answers. Your faith, your church, your awareness of God's love are what they will remember and look for.
We sometimes think that we don't have anything to offer people because we are not theologically trained. The truth is that what our friends are looking for are people like you and me who have had a relationship with God. I think about the story of the woman Jesus met at the well in the Gospel of John.
After her encounter with Jesus she told her story over and over again to everyone she met. Only God knows home many people's lives she changed with her story of acceptance and love. So don't be shy. Share Jesus and what he did for you everywhere you go. Then begin to enjoy the ways that God uses you.
PS This was third biker funeral I had in my ministry and it made me think about Jesus and the way he related to people outside the usual influence of religion. I met a number of good people who believe in God but never felt welcome inside a church. Maybe we need to rethink the way we greet people at church.
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