Funerals are not the most popular of topics. Yet, everyone will attend at least one.
I’ve been to many of them and it’s a little unnerving when most are celebrating the lives of people that are younger than me - some, much younger.
Funerals are truly about life.
At her funeral, former First Lady Barbara Bush was remembered for many personality “qualities.” She could be outspoken, blunt and almost overly-honest.
It was that same bottom-linish characteristic that led to the most famous non-photo-op of her career. In the midst of the AIDS crisis when babies were considered “untouchables” because of tears and other ways of transmission that Bush unhesitatingly picked up a whimpering baby with the disease and hugged and patted the baby into a peaceful state.
Literally on the shoulders of the First Lady, many stereotypes were shattered with the flash of a camera.
A man boldly approached her and asked, “Mrs. Bush I am a man living with AIDS. Will you give me a hug?”
There was no delay when Barbara Bush reached out and hugged the man.
She wasn’t scared to die because she was too busy living.
PORTAL TO HEAVEN: In whose steps did Barbara Bush follow when she touched the untouchables? Who knows what portals to heaven open when we imitate Christ.
If he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt…While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ And immediately the leprosy left him.
Leviticus 5:3 ESV, Luke 5:12,13 NIV