Every time I visit the house of mourning I walk away sobered and tempered about life. Death is the inevitability we never want to face. But when we do there are great lessons to learn.

This week I attended the funeral of a friend who died unexpectedly after undergoing heart surgery. We thought he had pulled through and would be going home when he took an unexpected turn and suddenly died. The shock is still hard to escape. But life goes on.

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning…" (Ecclesiastes 7:4). I would rather gain wisdom from any other place but this, but there are times when the setting of a funeral home and a freshly dug grave offer the best graphic example of the temporary nature of this life. Wisdom learned at the grave of a love one is inscribed deep and endures long.

When people gather at a funeral there is a leveling effect. Old grudges fade. Past hurts are forgotten - if for a moment. People hug and remember. The smiles linger on the face a bit longer and the tone of the voice is softer. It is a time to pause and consider who we are and what life is all about. 

When at these occasions I turn to Biblical scriptures that detail the hope of the resurrection I often see expressions of courage, calm and faith. At times, when I see this knowledge is being heard for the first time by some I will see a puzzled look. A roomful of people at a funeral represents many varied ideas about what happens at death. I have found that the truth, from the word of God, are the only words that begin to lift the fog of grief, setting people free from the pain of death.

My friend had been a member of the United States Marine Corps and served in Vietnam. At the graveside a military honor guard gave a customary gun salute with the playing of taps. The American flag was folded and presented to his widow with the words "Semper Fi" (always faithful) the Marine motto. I had just read Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith". 

To life by faith and die in the faith is a Christians's goal. In the parable of the talents Christ has the lord of a group of servants saying "well done, good and faithful servant" to those who faithfully increase their talents given in trust. These are words of affirmation we all would want said to us when our life is summed up. This is one of the biggest lessons to take from a visit to the house of death. 

Stay faithful. Stay close to God. "Semper Fi".