Service Before Self

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  - The Apostle John

Wednesday (Jan. 14) was a difficult day; it included a drive from Jefferson City back to my district for two funerals. One was for a 33-year-old husband and father, the son of a close friend. The other was for a 41-year-old firefighter, resulting from an emergency call. He left a wife and two young sons. It is these newly widowed wives and fatherless children that remind us of the value of an individual life. Both families are families of faith, and I know they would value your prayers as they face an unexpected and uncertain future.

The firefighter funeral included full honors to memorialize a loss that occurred in the line-of-duty. This was my first such service, and it was an impressive and sobering event, involving numerous emergency-response vehicles and hundreds of uniformed public servants - many of which traveled great distance to participate. It was a clear reminder of the oft-quoted description that when others are rushing out, these are the men and women who rush in. The expression applies equally to firefighters, law enforcement, and members of the military. These are the brave people who choose to temporarily set aside their own lives, families, and possessions to instead protect the lives, families, and possessions of those they serve. It is unlikely there is any love more genuine than this.

Deaths like these always remind me of the frailty of this life and the importance of the next. They instruct me to keep relationships up-to-date and fully healed. Isn’t it interesting how a sudden and untimely death can focus our attention on the importance both of the moment and of eternity? We cannot set the span of a relationship, but we can set the tone. We can acknowledge and honor its significance. I welcome your prayers as I strive for that perspective during this legislative session – with my family, my constituents and my Senate colleagues.