Yesterday was a sad day, and the days will continue to be sad for some as they grieve. Shortly after I clocked out of work, I said goodbye to my manager, Mike, and wished him a happy day. He wished me the same. Mike and his wife, Tammy, have become great friends of ours. They are our parents age and they have invited us into their home, their lives, their family. We love them dearly.
At about 6:30pm I received a call last night from Mike and Tammy's pastor, telling me that their son, Jake, had committed suicide. I had met Jake twice. I knew that he had got himself into some messy situations and couldn't seem to catch a break. Why would he do this? Mike has been asking himself every "what if" he can think of... I know that sometimes we can't have the answers. I know sometimes, there's no one to blame. Jake couldn't see past the pressures in front of him, which is incredibly sad in light of his wonderful parents who were always willing to help, always there for him. But I know one thing that troubles me, and Mike and Tammy...did Jake know who Christ was?
I don't know. I don't dare judge, and mostly I don't have a clue of what to say. How do you comfort a family who lost their son to suicide? My eyes are reopened to the immediate urgency to share the good news of hope in Christ. To share how Jesus has set us free from the burden of death and damnation. That our identity is not in this world and its lies, but in our identity in Christ. We are heirs of the kingdom coming. I don't know that Jake knew any of this. Or rather, I don't know that he believed it.
God, please bring comfort and rest to this family. Lord, you are still good even when we face hardship.
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