A Tale of two Funerals

Any man worth his marbles wants to leave his mark on the world. It's why we carve names in trees or picnic tables. We leave our prints on concrete slabs, you name it. If it's a spot where other people will see it. men are drawn to let people know that they were there. Men of more affluent means give money to hospitals (with his name attached to the new addition.) or libraries or charitable foundations. So I think you've gotten the point; We are for some reason drawn to leave our mark on the world. But in the Kingdom of God, the legacy that will fullfill you as a man is; the people that you left your mark on. Do you have someone in your past (Or present.) who helped steer you life in a positive way? Who was an example of greatness that you could use as a reference for your life? That is the kind of mark that really matters. That mark will remain forever and fulfill your desire for a great legacy like no other. In the past I had responsibilities in a small church that included helping with the various funerals that were needed. And I wittnessed the colmination of many mens lives. Being an occasionally completive person. I was often suprised to find out the mark or lack there of, men made on people with their allotted time on earth. Some I knew, some I didn't, but my preconceived notions were often wrong. One "type" of funeral that I often wittnessed would involve a man with hobbies, skills, a good career, a house or houses, a boat, motorcycle....you get the point. And he would have a very sad mom and some sort of family all in tears, a few co-workers an friends. And someone would talk about him in the "cookie cutter" funeral style we all know so well. It would all be very sad and genuine, but somehow empty. With no real grand finish to the kind of life a man of renoun would want. Then I attended a funeral of a man in our church, whom I new, but only in a polite casual way. He was a tradesman of some sort. He had a small quiet family that seemed very nice. He drove an old rough looking pickup truck and that's all I really knew about him. At his funeral, people were all sad but somehow not the same kind of sad that I witnessed in other funerals. I heared stories about his personality and life that were nice but then towards the end, people would go up to speak about him and what he meant to them. Mostly men (4 or 5 of them) of various ages. And they spoke with tears in their eyes about how this man befriended them, guided them with advice and by example. They said that he really took the time to show them what a great man is, and the principals of manhhood in general. While the sadness of his passing was the same as other funerals in some ways. It was lessened by his accomplishments. The real reason for the grief was the loss of a great mentor and example to others. This man of smaller stature and seemigly un-notable accomplishments had profoundly effected the lives of many men through the years and his value as a man was great and evident to all.......I thought to myself that's what a man of renoun looks like. That's a life lived with value and purpose. That's a life that pleased God. Lord help me to have that kind of life or greater. A life of greatness isn't always obvious to the masses. It doesn't look like what we would always guess. It's not nessesarily full of things you can see, but full none the less. Make your mark on the lives of others and you will be remembered and leave a legacy of greatness.