Preparing For The Tears

The news of Joseph Bounds' drowning struck us with grief and hurt for his parents. He was their only child. On him hung so many hopes for the future.

When Death paid his visit to a strong and healthy 13-year-old, he bypassed others to whom his knock may have even been welcome. Surely among the aged and afflicted there were those who were weary of this world and longing for the next.

With our minds we easily say that God makes no mistakes, but our hearts don't embrace the shock as readily. With our minds we numbly repeat that the Lord both gives and takes away, but our hearts resist when He chooses the latter.

At the funeral, I was able to clearly see Joseph's parents. On their faces I could read the same hurts that we felt when our daughter Jenny died. I watched as their souls traversed the wide spectrum of feelings unique to the death of a child. In their silent actions I read the unmistakable weight of grief that acknowledged the finality of death. The hurt of never seeing their son again in this life could not be masked.

But on the other hand, their eyes beamed with the hope that their separation from Joseph would be ever so short. One of Joseph's Scout leaders had reported that this active and curious young man always seemed to be just one step ahead of everyone else. And his parents well knew that such was the case. Joseph was one step ahead of them once again--but they would soon catch up.

Joseph's dad tried to comfort both his wife and his own mother. He held their hands tenderly to assure them that all was well. They had set about the task of training Joseph without delay and had done all that they could in the days allotted them. And because of their labors, Joseph would safely debark on heaven's shore.

Now begins the task of concluding this chapter of their lives. And though its closing words will be penned with the ink of pain, there are other chapters yet to be written as they work through one of the most difficult of life's trials. I pray for God's mercy on them.

Joseph's death is a sobering reminder to be about the task of finishing the work that we have to do. In the process, transgression and hurts are bound to arise. But may we learn to deal with one another with tenderness and understanding.

Time and opportunity are fleeting. And when they are gone, there will be tears. But even the tears over the loss of a loved one are more easily dried than the tears of regret over having failed to do what we should have done--and could have done--while we had the chance.

Copyright 1999 James McAlister

Printer friendly version