On Sunday I had to officiate the funeral of an 18 year old boy from my church. It’s was very sad to say the least. His mom had come first and then I meet Doug about a year later. It was the longest funeral I had ever been involved in, over 2 hours long. There were so many people there they ran out of seats that people were standing. For over an hour people one by one came to tell their story of meeting and sharing their lives with Doug. I was so impressed by the consistency of their experiences with Doug and the influence he had in so many people’s lives. He was a unique that’s for sure. He was a deep thinker and was always willing to ask the tough questions. I know sometimes in emotional settings like this you have to take some peoples comments with that in mind. Knowing that people have a tendency to exaggerate and puff their friend up but there was something very sincere about their statements. That caused me to reflect on this thought.
Doug had only come to know God through Jesus less than a year before he died and hadn’t really dug into the truth’s of Jesus and the life God had planned for him. So most of these people didn’t even know that Doug had experienced eternity. Yet God had put something inside him from the beginning of his life because these stories were being told since he was only 5 years old. Stories of instant connection with someone that was so different than them, to cheering people on to fulfill their dreams and giving wise counsel in the midst of heart ache and troubles. Doug had made an impact on so many people. I’ve watched over the years people with great potential, squander the gifts God had given them and these were people who had been walking with God. Here is a young man who has done more with his limited life without Christ than many do in a life time with God.
I’m grateful for the assurance that Doug is with God the Father but I can’t help to imagine what his life would of been like if he would of had some more time and would of learned about the power of Jesus. If there is one thing we need to learn from Doug’s life it’s that we are the only ones who can limit ourselves from impacting others. If God can use someone like Doug with a limited life and limited revelation what can he do with us?
I pray you’ll use your life to make a difference in others!
