Determining Attendance at a Funeral

I attended a funeral at my home church last week – largest funeral I’ve seen there. All parking lots full thirty minutes before service, all seats on lower floor full fifteen minutes before service, standing room only in a 1000 seat auditorium. Who was this? Some famous politician? No, in fact the Funeral Home Directors commented during the visitation the night before that the only funeral they had seen that was as large was for the former mayor of Fort Worth. Was this some famous entertainer, sports figure, military hero? No. It was the funeral service for Tami Barber, career school teacher/educator and faithful church member. When various groups were asked to stand, the largest group was that of former students and colleagues who had known her through her education career. Amazing that one so young (she died of cancer at age 52), could accumulate so many friends. Earlier that same day I had attended the quarterly lunch meeting of Seminary retirees, where my long-time friend and fellow faculty member, Dr. Jack MacGorman, who is approaching his 94th birthday, said to the group, “God can do mighty things through little people who serve a big God.” In terms of status, the world would have considered Tami Barber, to be one of the “little people,” but the attendance at her funeral proved it to be different. She faithfully served people on behalf of her “big God” and they came to pay their respects, to celebrate her life; grieving, but, not “like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (I Thessalonians 4:14, NIV). I’ve always said that the number of people who attend your funeral will be largely determined by the weather. On a cloudy, overcast, day, I was proved wrong once again.

Join me this week to remember the following global concerns:
• Typhoon Ruby, as it is known locally, made landfall Saturday and is expected to strike six Philippine islands. Pray for safety for residents, and for follow-up relief efforts.
• Join Southern Baptist during this Week of Prayer for International Missions and pray for 4,800 missionaries working around the world in some of the most difficult places.
• Pray for Catherine and Danilo as they serve God in Columbia.
• Pray for Marilyn and the Hope Urban Ministry Team in Macau.