Funerals are strange events for children. I remember attending a few funerals as a child and trying to understand it all. As a teen, I disliked the grief and sorrow of funerals. Unless it was family, I tried to avoid going with my parents to a funeral.

Nobody really likes a funeral. But we go. As an adult, I’ve attended the funerals of family and friends. I’ve also attend the funerals of people I had never met. I went not because I like funerals, but because someone I knew was mourning the passing of a loved one.

A funeral is a time to show respect and honor for the deceased. But more importantly, it is a time to show love and support for those grieving. Sometimes the best thing about the funeral is greeting each other, hugging family and talking together after the service. Grieving together is a display of love.

An example of this is Jesus.  Jesus missed the funeral of a dear friend named Lazarus. But he visited the tomb a couple of days later. As everyone else wept, Jesus wept with them. John 11:36 says, ‘Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”’ (NVI 1984)

This reminds me of Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (NIV 1984) This verse gives us a great, short-hand description of brotherly love. We encourage each other in good times as well as in bad.

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.