It’s not something I really wanted to do, but when my step-mom asked me to officiate my father’s small memorial service I said I would. About ten years earlier, they had moved to an Arizona retirement community. They enjoyed golfing and sunny days.
Sadly, those sunny days of golfing ended far too soon.
The memorial was supposed to be very brief. As I looked into the faces of people I had just met—I knew they didn’t know the father I’d known. They knew him as a golfing buddy or a neighbor.
How could I describe my dad? How could I honor his memory? I told them Dad enjoyed encouraging others. He was thoughtful. He had been a community volunteer. He loved his family.
Then, I opened my Bible and said that I’d found a description of how my dad tried to love others.
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast
it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices in the truth.
It aways protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 3:13
I repeated the final line: Love never fails. Oh, we can fail at loving well, but love won’t fail.
We never know how long we will live, but we do know how well we are loving others. That’s the most worthy pursuit we can have, for as long as we have.
