MY OCCUPATION---MY MINISTRY

To say my occupation is also my ministry is not unusual for someone to say. Many pastors, missionaries and other ‘full-time’ ministry folks can make the claim that they are full time employed in a ministry. It is also accurate to say that many believe, as I do, that the Bible teaches that, “whatever you find to do, do unto the Lord,” and this is telling us that all CHRISTIANS are actually in fulltime ministry, whether they be, janitor, short-order cook or beautician, you serve God in your occupation. There is a sacredness to work, (Colossians 3:22-24 KJV) “22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” And so, Paul’s words here are clear, “YE SERVE THE LORD CHRIST.” It should be noted, in context, that slaves, indentured servants and employees, with very low legal rights were being told this. I’m just saying, complaining about your working conditions at the McDonalds would be laughed at by First Century Christians.

I have served as a pastor, but this post is not about that job. I am an author, but it isn’t paying no bills yet (I’m stressing the YET, hoping someday it is much more productive). No, my job, and as a clearer clarification, my career, for the last, soon to be, 25 years, is what I am talking about. I’m unique. According to nfda.org, there is only 32,800 of us in the United States as of 2012. As a comparative occupation, Registered Nurses top over 3 million as of 2009, according to truthaboutnursing.org. I’m a funeral director. That’s my job, occupation, career and yes, my MINISTRY. I was introduced to this concept, of being a funeral director as ministry, very early in my career. I had just begun preaching, a few years before, and wondering what direction the Lord would lead me into. The funeral job was a temporary job, till I could go into ‘full-time ministry’. Then, one day, my boss at the time said, “you know this can be a big part of your ministry,” and it resonated…and proved to be so true.

Allow me to tell you some of the ways that being a funeral director has been my ministry. My job is filled with a variety of responsibilities. I prepare the dead for disposition, direct the survivors to explore their memorialization options and protect the public health. These three aspects to my job manifest themselves in very unique ways. Preparing the dead can mean embalming, cremation or donation to science (as in medical schools). I’ve embalmed from 0-107 of age. Young, old, diseased, mutilated, injured, swollen by modern medicine or emaciated by it, the dead are prepared for their disposition with dignity, respect and care.

I also prepare the deceased for viewing, when a family chooses to do so. This is an interesting aspect to my ministry. I am blessed in knowing that the family can see their loved one’s remains that’s been ravaged by age, conditions, circumstances and/or other factors. Yes, this can involve ‘restoration’ of features. A mother once wanted to see her son’s lips. Because of the accident, that was all that could be recognized as a man’s face. Her desire to see the lips of her son that had said, only days before, “mom I love you,” are ministry moments that test your faith. As she stood over his casket, crying and viewing a bandaged head with lips exposed, God came near…

I also ‘direct’ (I am a funeral director) people to choose the options that fulfill their needs. In sitting with a family, I am cognizant of their mood and try to gauge the attitude. By this I mean, some families are somber, some grief stricken and some are even happy. Death will affect individuals and families different, and different types of death will manifest different reactions. For example, a family of a Christian patriarch/matriarch have a joy, somber though they be. They will speak of the ‘homegoing’ of their loved one, not a departing. There can even be funny stories and seemingly irreverent belly laughing. A family may want to remember the good, memories that still bring joy to their hearts. I’ve laughed with these families knowing the scripture says, (Proverbs 17:22 KJV) “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” I’ve seen this manifested in the eyes of a widow as she looked at me and said, “I’ll soon join him.” Her spirit was strong…

Sometimes, it’s a young couple, attempting to start a family, and their bundle of joy becomes a baby casket. Their questions of ‘why’, ‘what do we do’ or ‘why did God allow this’ are moments of ministry that few are exposed to. Picking up an infant, out of its eternal earthly crib, so a mother can hold it one last time is heart-wrenching, faith-testing and prayer-muting experiences. I’ve prayed over a mother and father and their dead son, because there was nobody else there. You reach for words, and rely on Pauls’ words, (Romans 8:26 KJV) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” I’ve groaned.

Another, sadly true, part of my ministry is being the ‘default-preacher’ on staff. For many years I was the only minister/pastor on staff at our firm (later another joined the firm to lightened the load). By ‘default’ any family that needed a preacher for a funeral would become my moment of ministry. This could be for a variety of reasons, mind you. A family could have been gone for many years form our area and were just unfamiliar with the local clergy. There have been many times that it was because they attended no church, or worse, never attended a church. There was even a time I became ‘default-preacher’ because the arguing siblings couldn’t decide whose preacher should do the service, joy-joy, for me! These moments are not a heavy-handed time for evangelism. Nor are they a time to recruit a family to my ‘church’. They are moments of sharing the love of Jesus…even with words, if necessary. Peter’s words are my guide, (1 Peter 3:15 KJV) “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” As I stood over the grave of a young woman’s brother, her words gripped my heart, “So preacher, you truly believe that stuff in that book?” “Yes ma’am,” I replied. “Well if it’s true, then my brother could even make it to heaven.” She said, knowing he died in a prison.

Ministry, it’s what we followers of Christ do. The Greek word, διακονία (diakonia), means service or serve. That’s all ministry is, Christians serving others. If you’re an IT guy, that’s your ministry, a nurse, yep, a very honorable ministry or even a school bus drivers, a minister, too. Your ministry may be big and bold, a Billy Graham, declaring the Gospel to Billions, or it may be in a nursing home, caring for the dying and forgotten. Mine, just manifests itself in the eyes of a widow, the tears of a child or the hand of a broken parent. We have a ministry so, “let us wait on our ministering…” (Romans 12:7)

GOD BLESS

Tony

#death #funeral #grief #ministry