The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
I doubt I will ever forget it. Shortly after I surrendered my life to be a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I went to my pastor for advice. He told me to attend all the funerals I could. As a young man, it seemed morbid and strange to me. It was the last thing I wanted to do. It seemed like the farthest thing from what the ministry is all about.
Over the years, I grew to see the wisdom of his counsel.
First of all, a preacher is likely to be asked to officiate at funerals.
He will be more prepared to do a professional and dignified service, having attended many. But unfortunately, I’ve seen some that were far from that.
Secondly, it is an excellent opportunity to minister to the relatives of the deceased.
I am thankful for the opportunity to help people in any way I can during their grief.
But there is something more than ministry in mind. I would go so far as to say the minister is not in mind in this passage.
It is a shame that people tend more and more to avoid funerals in our day. When they do have them, they like to call it a “celebration of life.” The problem is that they are avoiding the matter of the heart. They attempt to turn even the occasion of death into a time of feasting and laughter and thereby skirt the issue of their own heart.
The preacher said the wise go to the house of mourning, and fools go to the place of mirth. Sadness of countenance makes the heart better. Or at least it can if we face it.
The preacher in Ecclesiastes agrees with my pastor. Attend as many funerals as you are able. While there, let God make your heart better.
To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.
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