“[Jehoram] was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret” (2 Chronicles 21:20).
“So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword” (2 Chronicles 23:21).
When’s the last time you went to a funeral where the attendees were glad the deceased was gone?
I’ve been to a few. No one said it, but I know it was on their mind.
Now to be fair, the circumstances have a lot to do with how we feel. The deceased may be a loved one who endured a lot of pain. It’s okay to be glad their suffering is over.
Maybe they required a lot of end-of-life care. Even though it’s a blessing to care for a loved one, it’s hard work. It’s okay to be relieved that your shift is over.
I imagine some look forward to an inheritance, so a death is good news for them.
You might even believe a person’s death is what they deserve. Did they commit a heinous crime? Did they leave behind a trail of failed relationships? Just be honest. You’re not going to miss them at all.
Few people are honest at funerals. Folks speak kindly of those they couldn’t stand when they were alive. Every corpse was give-the-shirt-off-their-back generous. We pretend to celebrate life so we don’t have to grieve death.
I know the above sounds insensitive, so I’ll close with something positive. If the person who died was a believer, they are now with the Lord. Isn’t that good news? Absolutely! They’ve fought the good fight and finished the race. They’ve crossed the finish line! And I’m glad.
