Our family attended a funeral recently. It's interesting how differently people can respond to death, some mourning the life that was lost, others celebrating the life that had been lived. This particular funeral had a mix of both.
The man who passed away, fairly unexpectedly, had been a Christian for 12 years. His best friend, who was not a Christian, gave the eulogy. He spent time sharing their experiences, describing a life of enjoyment and comfort.
The son-in-law of the deceased, a former youth pastor, closed the service and painted a picture in stark contrast to that of the eulogy. He shared that in his last days, his father-in-law expressed deep regret for wasting so much of his life. He repented of all the time he had spent on himself, rather than on others and serving his Lord.
Patrick Rhone wrote recently in Don't Wait for the Eulogy:
Why wait for the eulogy to state what someone means to you? If someone’s life and accomplishments have great meaning the day after they are gone, my bet is they had even greater meaning the day before.
That's a great sentiment. I would also suggest the reverse: don't wait until your last day to live the life you want someone describing in your eulogy. Live today in such a way that if you were suddenly gone, those who loved you most would give the eulogy you would want to hear.
