Death Strikes Suddenly
Jesus wept. – John 11:35
“It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it’s what you leave behind you when you go.”
Those words from the song Three Wooden Crosses have echoed in my mind these past few days. James Smith was a friend, a former boss, a really good, kind and compassionate man. He was devoted to his wife, his children and grandchildren. He didn’t talk a lot about his faith. He simply lived it.
How does a man so filled with life suddenly move to heaven with no warning? When I got that phone call, I kept telling the caller that she had to be wrong. Not James. Surely not James.
Those of us privileged to know him are stunned. Heartbroken. Grief-stricken. And, yet, all the words we’re using to describe him echo the same sentiments. His legacy, which reaches far beyond his family, will live forever.
If you needed someone to laugh with you, James was right there. If you needed a defender, he was the first to step up. If you needed a sounding board, he had two ears that were always available to listen.
His priorities were right in line with his values. I’m not sure how many performances of Nutcracker he sat through over the years. Or how many swim meets he attended. Add class activities and beach fun. He was present in the lives of his grandchildren and he was just as excited for the last event as for the first one.
He rocked babies and gave away brides. He mourned his Daddy and took care of his Mama. He was someone you could count on. His extended family depended on him and he always showed up.
Was he perfect? No. None of us are. But he had his priorities in the right order. He loved Jesus and he loved Barbara, his wife of 44 years. He loved his family and friends.
I look around today and see people lusting after tomorrow with a gaze that never sees today. I see hearts that judge people based on possessions, while neglecting the seeds that grow into tomorrow.
James planted seeds. He planted seeds of kindness, integrity, compassion, honesty. He fertilized us all with hope and laughter. And the gift of his presence.
The coming days, weeks and years will be hard, especially for his family. There’s the new grandbaby he’ll never hold. And the graduation he won’t see. And let’s not forget the Nutcracker ballet and the swim meets and all the other things he will miss. He leaves a large void that none of us can fill.
But Jesus. Well, Jesus wept. And then He stepped up to fill that void as only He can.
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