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As a young minister in Kentucky, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a
grave-side service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends.
The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and this
man would be the first to be buried there.
I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost.
Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived
an hour late.
I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.
The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my
tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There I saw the
vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up
for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do.
The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour
out my heart and soul. As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter
tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began to say
'Amen,'
'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The ferver of these men truly inspired me.
So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached a funeral before,
all the way from Genesis to Revelations. I finally closed the lengthy
service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers
say to another, 'I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like that before, and
I've been puttin' in septic tanks for thirty years!
grave-side service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends.
The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and this
man would be the first to be buried there.
I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost.
Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived
an hour late.
I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.
The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my
tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There I saw the
vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up
for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do.
The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour
out my heart and soul. As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter
tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began to say
'Amen,'
'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The ferver of these men truly inspired me.
So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached a funeral before,
all the way from Genesis to Revelations. I finally closed the lengthy
service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers
say to another, 'I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like that before, and
I've been puttin' in septic tanks for thirty years!
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