In the past few years, I have officiated or attended far too many funerals for loved ones. Such occasions make us face the stark reality of death in a fallen world (Heb 9:27). We honor the deceased with stories of remembrance and tributes of their life accomplishments. We also honor Christ with songs of praise and the gospel truths of resurrection (1 Pet 1:3-5). We are sorrowful, yet we do not grieve like those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13).
My four-year-old daughter was watching the livestream for a recent Celebration of Life service when she asked my wife, “Where’s Mr. Dave?” In the entirety of her young life, my daughter had never known her Sunday school teacher, Ms. Gail, to sit in church without her husband of forty-nine years. We explained how Mr. Dave had gone to heaven to be with Jesus.
We thought she understood until, at dinnertime, she prayed for Mr. Dave to feel better soon. We assured her that Mr. Dave actually is doing much better now that he is “home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8) and living in a perfect place without sorrow, sickness, or death (Rev 21:4). Yet our daughter’s innocent questions reminded us that we are always instructing our children as they encounter such realities for the first time (Eph 6:4). We now live in a world where occasions of grief are livestreamed into living rooms and children learn the reality of death at a much earlier age.
A few days later, our family was reading a children’s version of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, which helped us to discuss deep truths about the Christian journey in a child-appropriate way. The story explained that no pilgrim is ever too young to set out for the Celestial City. I asked my daughter if she wanted to go to heaven like the little girl in the story. She replied she did.
So we talked about Jesus and what she must believe to be assured of her salvation. She accepted these truths and, to our joy, professed her faith in Christ. We certainly plan to have many conversations to come, but our hope and prayer is that all of our children will set out on this path to heavenly glory. It is never too early to start reading the Bible with our children or talking with them about Jesus. In truth, we must all “receive the kingdom of God like a child” (Mark 10:15). So don’t miss those moments of grief which often turn our hearts and our children’s hearts toward the glory of heaven. May such questions prompt us to search God’s Word for encouragement and hope as we lead our little pilgrims on a spiritual journey (Rom 15:4).
