I read somewhere about a pastor who was stressed and weary with trying to please everyone and accomplish many things. He finally came to the realization that it was most important for him to be with and serve "the ones who will be weeping at my funeral." He had allowed himself to be stretched so thin that he lost sight of those closest to him, and while trying to serve everyone he was not doing much good for anyone. He was ignoring his own family while trying to reach other families. His testimony was that he "came to himself" and began to spend the quality time necessary to nurture his own closest relationships and then discovered that he was much more effective at reaching others.
In Christian service, we are called to be selfless. We are to flesh out the gospel in ways that demonstrate the grace of God in our lives. Our own close personal relationships represent the first arena of Christian devotion. Indeed, as the Apostle Paul put it, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (I Tim. 5:8) I do not think this just means physical needs. We are to provide love, encouragement, prayer, and emotional support to our loved ones. Too often we use people to perform our programs rather than use the programs to build people.
Who will be weeping at your funeral? Those dear ones are your family and closest friends. We can make an effective witness to non-Christians by being better at life than those without Christ. More people will be impressed with the life changing gospel if they can see some improved lives! Notice that Christ, while certainly available to the multitudes, spent most of his time with twelve intimate friends called "disciples". These men who had spent such time with Jesus went out to literally change the world! They were the ones who wept at his funeral. They were also the ones who went on the practice love and worship with their brothers and sisters in the church setting.
Paganism eventually gave way to Christianity because the teachings of Jesus proved to be a better way to live. In these times in which we live, not unlike that of the first century church, we must present Christ and his truths in both word and deed. Let's strengthen our relationships. Open the doors that have been closed too long. Express the feelings that have been bottled up too long. Ask God to help you be the husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, or friend that you should be. Make your best service of all toward those who will be weeping at your funeral.
Quotes:
"When we stand before God, He's not going to look us over for medals or degrees; He's going to look us over for scars." Billy Sunday
“Faith makes a Christian. Life proves a Christian. Trials confirm a Christian. Death crowns a Christian.” - Anonymous
“If a man cannot be a Christian in the place where he is, he cannot be a Christian anywhere.” Henry Ward Beecher
"People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa....It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege." David Livingstone