Recently a highly respected and dearly loved member of our faith family died. At age eighty-two he was not a young man and health issues had been a concern for some time. At his memorial service I noticed the size of the crowd who had come to show their respect for this long-time community member and support for his family members.
From one perspective I was a bit surprised at the lower attendance than I had expected. This gentleman was born in the area and had been a community servant for decades. Few major positions in the church had not felt his presence through the years. His character included such coveted qualities as humility, a positive outlook, generosity, and active kindness. He had been a friend to many in the best sense of the word. So where were the masses who had been touched by this man’s life?
Yet I had to remember this man’s age. Though not exceptionally old, he still had outlived many of his peers. Many who had seen his quiet and humble gentleness in action could not be present. They had preceded him in death, become confined due to their own health issues, or simply feared the possibility of COVID contraction. Perhaps I should have been pleased to see as many as I did.
Regardless of the numbers who were present to join in the grief of the family or to celebrate all the wonderful memories shared with this now gone friend, there was one image that overshadowed all. They had come to show respect for a man who had lived a life of integrity.
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians contains a verse listing a set of qualities embodied by this man.
“Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12, Christian Standard Bible)
To be honored for worldly accomplishments is one thing, but to be honored for living a life of integrity is beyond all monetary value. There will be no statues or monuments for this man. In time only a few records will exist to show he lived among us.
Yet in the mind of God this man will live forever. He now occupies his place in glory with his Savior Jesus Christ. His reward for a faithful mortal life is an eternity of peace and joy free from all sorrow, pain, and grief.
This public reputation, this quiet character, was not developed in the last moments of life. It accumulated over a lifetime of living out the qualities of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and the accompanying qualities of willingness to forgive and to love as he was loved by God. Staying focused on what is most important in relationships leads to a reputation that says people are more important than possessions, than fame or fortune. Such a priority gives others the benefit of the doubt and a second chance when things don’t go so well. A helping hand is offered rather than words of judgment and condemnation. Encouragement becomes a mark of relationships, and competition to get ahead is avoided.
What is seen as important in our lives all too often is not recognized until the end of our lives. How important it is for us to live lives of integrity that honor our Creator each day we are given so at the end we are seen to have been consistent from our earliest days. People will say at our memorial service we had lived with integrity all our days and not just at the end in an effort to redeem a wasted life.
