An Interesting Paradox and its Resolution

As I’ve gone through the Horace and Dott Coffman collection at work a large amount of time has been spent dealing with weddings and funerals. As I mentioned in my last blog post Horace either officiated or provided music for over 1600 weddings and 2200 funerals. Now, many people might think that the funerals, along with the accompanying obituaries, would be very depressing to read through. After all, what could be more depressing than realizing how many people, in just the Church of Christ in Lubbock, have died. The weddings, some might assume, would be very inspirational for this is a time of joy and happiness for those who are participating. I’ll admit this was my first reaction, especially as I sorted through hundreds of funerals.

As I continued in my work an interesting change has occurred in my feelings towards these two different events. No longer did I view the weddings as a release from the dour work of filing obituaries. No longer did I dread the next folder with the title “Funerals Performed in 19--.” Instead it was the weddings that inspired a strange melancholy.

My thinking, as my worked progressed, turned from thinking of the weddings a joyous union of two people into the perpetual question “Did John Smith and Jane Doe make it?” I know it’s extremely pessimistic of me but for some reason I couldn’t help but feel that every marriage I came across had ended in some sort of disaster. The funerals inspired a sense of hope. Within the pages of funeral programs, obituaries, and Horace’s notes were inspirational stories about lifelong Christians. Here were men and women who had remained faithful to God and served the church for decades. Here were men and women who had been married for 50, 60, and even 70 years. Here were inspirational stories about love, perseverance, faithfulness, joy in the face of suffering and thanksgiving at the passing of loved ones.

This was an interesting paradox, at least for me, because I knew that the wedding was a joyous occasion and despite my pessimistic misanthropy some, maybe even a majority, of these marriages had survived, prospered and even continue to thrive to this day. My general attitude toward the weddings changed yesterday when I made a pretty incredible discovery.

As I was going through another folder of wedding programs and notes I came across one that stopped me in my tracks. I had found the program for the marriage of a Ms. Diane Clutter and a Larry Stephens. Here was a wedding that I had first hand knowledge of! That I had grown up knowing and that has been a model of love, faithfulness, and charity every day of my life. I didn’t wonder if Diane Clutter and Larry Stephens had made it I KNEW. Despite the divorce rate, the broken homes we see around us, the single moms, abortions, and inconsiderate and insensitive people on both sides God has always and still raises up among us men and women to serve him and to be examples to younger generations. I’m so proud to say that two of these people are my parents.

It is my prayer that I too might be one of these people some day. That I might live as an example to others and that some day I might enter the Kingdom and hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant.”