After The Funeral
After the Funeral
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:27
A friend and colleague of Tim’s passed away unexpectedly at age forty-five. I knew Steve from work meetings and was always charmed by his kind nature, Southern drawl, and big laugh. He had a larger-than-life personality, and the sudden nature of his passing at such a young age was a shock on many levels. Tim, especially, was hit hard by the gravity of the situation and the way it struck a chord with us: how easily it could be my husband, or me, or one of our children. How life can change in an instant through a heart attack, a car accident, a diagnosis. How often we take this life for granted.
My husband and many of his coworkers traveled to Louisiana to attend Steve’s funeral, and their presence filled half the church. But it was when Tim returned home after the funeral that I was moved to tears yet again: his coworkers had banded together and collectively raised more than $50,000 for Steve’s widow and her children, which would be used to establish savings plans so the kids would be able to attend college. In the months that followed, Tim’s coworkers continued to reach out to Steve’s wife and her children. They attended their home football games. They took the oldest son hunting. They comforted their friend’s family as they grieved, and they remained a constant presence in their lives as they learned how to live a new normal.
Part of living out our faith and showing love to others means caring for orphans and widows. Tim’s coworkers are a prime example of how a person or group can do so—not simply with a few words of sympathy hastily spoken, but through repeated actions that show the sincerity of shared grief and continued love and care for those who have experienced loss.
— Today’s Act of Kindness —
Find a way to do a tangible act of kindness for a widow or orphan.
From the book
