Tell Them While You Can

I started this post a few days ago, but deleted it.  I'm torn between saying something I feel strongly about and using someone else's tragedy to do it.  But perhaps a lesson learned from one tragedy can lessen the grief of another.

I was watching a bit of the coverage of Luc Bourdon's memorial service the other day.  Luc was the 21 year old who played for the Vancouver Canucks and was killed in a motorcycle accident.  The tributes to this young guy were beautifully moving.  I just hope Luc heard all of these wonderful words of love and praise while he was still alive.

Memorials and funerals are times to remember and give tribute.  We sometimes even go overboard and make people out to be better than they really were.  But what bothers me most is our willingness to say things after someone dies that we never said to them in life!

Ephesians 4:29 tells us to use our words to build people up and give grace according to the need of the moment.  Kind words at a funeral may serve the purpose of giving grace to the surviving family, but they do nothing to build up the person.  

We never know when an accident or illness will take away a family member or friend or brother or sister in our church.  It can happen in an instant.  Let's not wait until the funeral to speak kindly about someone.  Let's make a point of doing it now, today, often!  Let people know how special they are to you, what you appreciate about them, how much you love them, while they can hear you and be built up by it.  

Tell them while you can!

And ask God to bring comfort to Luc's family.

Dave