Living Life Well

Living Life Well (James 1:19)

I attended a funeral today. Emile Krompasick was ninety-one years old when he died as the result of a car accident. He was a World War II veteran and a retired firefighter. He was a faithful husband of sixty-two years and the father of two children and grandfather of four granddaughters. Most of all, he lived as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ.

One of his granddaughters and his son shared memories and observations about his life. They were moving. They were credible because I’ve known his son and two of his granddaughter for almost seventeen years. I’ve observed the influence of a father and grandfather in the lives of his son and granddaughters. During his granddaughters’ words this morning she referred to James 1:19: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath . . . .” She watched that kind of living in her grandfather for all her twenty plus years.

As I listened to all that was said and watched a family who grieved the loss of one who had significant influence in all their lives, I thought about all the years Mr. Krompasick invested in living honorably. I thought about the discipline he exercised to stay in the Scriptures. (His Bible gave evidence of how much he read and studied God’s Word.) I thought about how many choices he had to make in those ninety-one years to maintain his character and commitment to Christ.

Emile Krompasick was a simple man. He was a courageous man. He was a godly man. He was clearly a man who influenced others in his family, his church and in the fire hall where he worked for more than thirty years. His funeral service today was the celebration of a life lived well. I left the church with greater desire to “be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath . . . .” Perhaps God will allow me to have influence in people’s lives that inspires them to walk with God like Emile Krompasick inspired people to walk with Him.

Perhaps the question for all of us Freedom Fighter is this: Do our lives inspire people to walk with God or not? I’m thinking about my answer to that question this week. I hope you will, too. -- John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God's WORD for You: Proverbs 20; Micah 1-3; Revelation 11

Great Quote: We give ourselves to prayer. We preach a Gospel that saves to the
uttermost, and witness to its power. We do not argue about worldliness; we witness. We do not discuss philosophy; we preach the Gospel. We do not speculate about the destiny of sinners; we pluck them as brands from the burning. We ask no man's patronage. We beg no man's money. We fear no man's frown. Let no man join us who is afraid, and we want none but those who are saved, sanctified and aflame with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Samuel Chadwick