Death

A week or so ago, I received news, or rather got the new via Facebook, that a family friend of ours went home to the Lord. She was suffering from cancer for a long time, maybe close to 10 years or so. My mum was quite close to her as they formed a firm friendship in the last few years. They would text and encourage each other.

On the surface, I may seem to be taking her going home quite well. But inside, I do miss and feel for her family. I've know her and her husband for a very long time. As a young teen, I attended their wedding in church. Saw them get married, have kids, moved to Hong Kong to work, moved back to Singapore, taught one of their kids Sunday School, saw her falling sick, fighting cancer, watch her win cancer (so we thought), saw her battle cancer again and finally when she went home to the Lord, we won't there.

Yes, it's sad and hard. But at the same time, I'm thinking, isn't it better for her that she's home with the Lord. The battle must have taken a toll on the family. It must have been hard on her husband and kids. The immense amount of pressure and stress of providing for the family and also playing the role of both a father and mother. And thankfully, there were people that rallied around then.

When she went home, there were several nice messages on Facebook on her. It set me thinking about stuff. In the past few years, people that are close to me or I actually know and have a friendship with them have pass on or went home to the Lord. Sure, there has been loads of wonderful things that have being said about them. And yes, we celebrate the life that they have led and am glad to have been part of it. But on a deeper note, will I be missed like them when it is my turn to go home? Or would there be people that say, thank God, good riddance! She was such a horrid person.

But that's not as bad as when I face God. I dread being asked, what have I done to my life? Have I made a difference to someone? Have I led a life that's to the best of my abilities? Have I been accountable to my own life? Have I wasted it. Yes, these are questions that I'm afraid. I admit, I've been ashamed of my actions. And that's like many a times that I've been mean and horrid to people without even batting an eyelid. And my excuse, I'm only human. But is that really an excuse?

I was sharing during cell group and someone said that we are constantly sanctified by God. It's a renewal process that we are going through every day. And in Christ we have redemption and every day, we are living a redeeming life. We listen and help someone redeem him or herself and in the process we are helping ourselves too. And he was saying as well that very often helping someone is not difficult, but rather a slight, just only a slight inconvenience to ourselves. And are we willing to take that extra one step.

And that's so true. But the question is, will be always be willing to take that inconvenient step for someone. A someone that's a total strange, a someone that has crossed my path, a someone that has hurt me or a someone whom I've perceived as someone that I dislike and yes, my enemy. That's food for thought for me.