Dance With Jesus

We had the pallbearers lined up for Kyle’s service. Both hockey teams that Kyle had played for were going to be honor guards, and his closest friends were the pallbearers. One of his dearest friends, Steven Robertson, who we call Bub, even flew into Louisiana from Sydney, Australia to serve as a pallbearer for Kyle. And a friend on the Isle of Wight lit a candle for this twenty-year-old young man. How is it that some folks know people all over the world? Even in a short twenty years, Kyle lived—exuberantly! Imagine my horror, then, when I found out that one of Kyle’s closest friends, Kenny, had been with Kyle when he purchased drugs which, combined with a beer later that evening, caused respiratory distress, resulting in Kyle’s death. Kyle’s body was still in Lafayette and the funeral was to be scheduled once he had been released from the morgue and transported up to Shreveport, so timing was still up in the air at that point. I immediately called Matt to say that I could not have Kenny as a pallbearer. Matt’s words were simple, eloquent, and have subsequently changed the course of my life: “Mom, God’s already forgiven Kenny. You need to too.” “Oh, Matthew, I will have to pray about that.” And the burden lifted a little. God gave me the grace to forgive Kenny, for Kenny had—and still has—the heaviest load to bear. He carries it each and every day. His friend died. That cannot be changed. But it is our response to an event that shows our character, not the event itself. So how was I going to respond? I called Kenny the next day to let him know how absolutely disappointed I was in the decision that they both made, but Kyle loved him and would want Kenny there for him—and I would be honored for him to be a pallbearer for Kyle. Kenny is doing well to this very day—and served our country with honor. Rejoice! And that’s God—pouring His grace out on His children. You see, God knew we both needed His grace—to move from broken to breathing to blessed, free, and forgiven. Personal Reflection Have you needed to forgive someone? Did you forgive them? Have you prayed to God to lift that burden off of you—and then freely given the load to Him? Did you feel the burden lighten?