When we buried Jack, we were laying to rest a guy who had lived through a lot of conflicted situations at his church. Really tense situations.

At his funeral, one fellow at the center of (and instigator of) the conflicts asked to speak. Nervously, we granted the request. I’m glad we did.

He stood up and delivered.

“You know, we went through a lot together as a church. And I would like to have a lot of those days back. But one thing about Jack was sure. No matter how heated the discussion, no matter how terrible the situation,

Jack was never a part of the problem, and always a part of the solution.”

In all my years of leading churches and funerals, I’ve never heard a finer eulogy.

When they bury you, will they say you were a part of the problem, or the solution?

I’m going to try to live on the solution side.

The way I see it, that’s the side of the Empty Tomb.