I went to a funeral this morning.  Sadly, this funeral was of a 17 year old young man who was the younger brother of a young lady who has been very involved in our ministry.  It was, as you might imagine, sad beyond belief.  As the father of a 17 year old, I just kept thinking that it wasn’t supposed to be like this.  Families are not supposed to have to bury their 17 year old sons.  And yet, this family has had to do just that.  It was obvious how much he was loved by family and friends and how deeply he will be missed.  

As the pastor talked about this young man and his brief, but full life, I began to think about what made for a well lived life.  Is it a matter of length?  Can a life be well lived, even if it is cut short?  For that matter, when is a life cut short?  It seems obvious to us that a young man in his teens has too much of life ahead of him for it to end so abruptly.  But the same is true of the young mother who leaves behind a family struggling to deal with her loss.  Or for that matter, the grandparent who leaves behind a legacy of generations who look to them for wisdom and counsel.  The truth is, something deep inside tells us that death is a knife into the fabric of what was meant to be.  We were designed for eternity and death appears to be the enemy.  

I think we learn a great many lessons in the pain and sorrow of death.  The first and most obvious is that life is precious. It is precious in part because, regardless of how long we live, it is too brief.  It is too precious to waste in pursuits that distract us from being the people God created us to be.  It is too precious for us to miss the opportunity to let other people know how important they are to us.  Expressions of love expressed at a graveside are no substitute for a lifetime of love given freely and openly.  It also reminds us to live well.  By that, I mean with one foot firmly planted in life and one foot firmly planted in eternity.  LIFE is the unique opportunity God gives us to be His people in the midst of a world which desperately needs the hope, joy, peace and grace which is embodied in the Kingdom.  It is not for the weak of heart.  We still face pain and sorrow.  We will encounter tragedy.  But in walking this journey hand in hand with Christ, we have hope.  Not just of eternity, but of a life well lived, regardless of its length.