Rev Billy Graham: Strangers at The Funeral

I still recall the day we buried my mother.  In the midst of meeting and greeting family members, friends and neighbors,  there was another group of people who seemed to come out of no where.  A group of individuals not connected to us or each other, but connected to our mother.  At one point in the service we watched as a frail woman we didn't know, approach the casket and gently kissed our mother on the forehead.  We became aware of who she was when she stood up to speak words of comfort during the service.   She talked about meeting our mother when she went to chemotherapy.  She told us about how our mother touched her life at a time that she was the most vulnerable and broken.  We heard for the first time how our mother literally ministered to this woman and encouraged her on her Cancer journey.   We never knew that part of our mother, we never knew this woman.   Here at the funeral we were meeting a stranger who loved our mother just as much as many others there.  

OPPORTUNITIES 

When I think of Reverend Billy Graham, I think of opportunities that we have to share and encourage people every day.  Not all of us will live to be  ninety nine  years old, not every one will preach on every continent and have thousands come to Christ as a result of our ministry.  That may not be what some of us do, but we all have our own ministry.  We have our own bait that reaches people that we come in contact with every day.   What we do have every day is opportunity.  Even when we are hurting ourselves, we have opportunity.   I was talking to my son today and as we talked about Reverend Graham, he was looking at how long he lived, I was looking at what he did.  I told my son, "When you die, it doesn't matter HOW you die."  and he chimed in saying..."It matters HOW you lived."  

STRANGERS AMONG US

There are strangers among us.  People much like the woman at the funeral.  People who need to hear from us, need the encouragement we hold.  If we have answers, why would we keep them from a dying world?  If we knew the bridge was out down the street, why would we not stop anyone from going over it?  In the natural we would.   Today be aware that everyday is an opportunity to touch and help someone.  Whether online, in the grocery store or a neighbor down the street.  Look for the times that God will give you opportunity to touch someone else.  

I actually think about death often, and wonder who will show up at my funeral and truly feel a loss?  Who will be there that can say I helped them unselfishly?  Who will be there that NO ONE ELSE KNOWS?  The Reverend Billy Graham has many who mourn his death, people he has never met who are forever changed by something he said or did.  His platform was much larger, but it was his.  Your life, your platform is yours, make it count. 

A STRANGER AT YOUR FUNERAL 

When you pass away, someone should show up at your funeral that nobody knows, someone that you touched just when opportunity presented itself; and they will be forever changed, forever grateful.  Take advantage today of every opportunity to be a blessing to others and point them to the life in Christ Jesus that is available to all.  It is sometimes risky, some may hate you for a day, but others will love you for eternity. 

Like the Reverend Billy Graham- we all want to hear God say "Well Done."