I saw the most incredible display of respect and fraternity in all my years of preaching and participating in funerals. After an overflowing crowd gathered to pay respects to Bill Snell, for the first 26 years of the Cold Harbor Road church of Christ's history the minister of evangelism, it was time to drive over an hour for a military burial at the Virginia Veteran's Cemetery in Amelia County
The word came down from the Richmond city police department, where Bill served for 30 years, that there would be an escort to the cemetery. What those of us in the procession did not know is that 6 motorcycle cops and two police cruisers would lead that cavalcade the entire way. These officers completely stopped traffic on an interstate and three major state highways to allow us to proceed without stopping. We were able to bypass tolls on a toll road. Any vehicle trying to interlope on the procession was made to "stand down" by one of the motorcycle policemen. Various law enforcement vehicles, a Virginia State Trooper, unmarked police cars, Chesterfield County and Amelia County police, all participated along the way in the stop of traffic and lead the procession. At the end, when we were turning into the cemetery, they all stood at rapt attention and saluted the hearse as it made that final turn. It was an incredible display, a fitting tribute to a man whose work was often unheralded and perhaps even under-appreciated.
Jewell, his wife, could not have bribed or cajoled that kind of response from these officers. Bill's perseverance and faithful duty earned that kind of send off. To have done such a thing for a man who never served among them would have made no sense.
I could not help but relate this to the Christian life and our work on earth as Christians. When we come to the end of the way, people, whether a handful or a room full, will gather to remember us. If we have been generous, active, involved in people's lives, and faithful, like Bill, we will have left a legacy and earned the appreciation and filled the hearts of others with memories of our work. That is not why we serve the Lord, but it is an inevitable consequence of a life lived well if imperfectly. Too many who wear the name Christian fill a pew, coast along without getting involved in the lives of others, never win a soul or tell a soul about Jesus, and come to the end of the row without fruit in their hands. Tuesday night at the viewing and yesterday at the funeral reinforced the feeling for me that a Christian life spent serving and helping others, being involved in the Lord's work, leads to an escort that cannot be bought. Thank you, Bill.
The word came down from the Richmond city police department, where Bill served for 30 years, that there would be an escort to the cemetery. What those of us in the procession did not know is that 6 motorcycle cops and two police cruisers would lead that cavalcade the entire way. These officers completely stopped traffic on an interstate and three major state highways to allow us to proceed without stopping. We were able to bypass tolls on a toll road. Any vehicle trying to interlope on the procession was made to "stand down" by one of the motorcycle policemen. Various law enforcement vehicles, a Virginia State Trooper, unmarked police cars, Chesterfield County and Amelia County police, all participated along the way in the stop of traffic and lead the procession. At the end, when we were turning into the cemetery, they all stood at rapt attention and saluted the hearse as it made that final turn. It was an incredible display, a fitting tribute to a man whose work was often unheralded and perhaps even under-appreciated.
Jewell, his wife, could not have bribed or cajoled that kind of response from these officers. Bill's perseverance and faithful duty earned that kind of send off. To have done such a thing for a man who never served among them would have made no sense.
I could not help but relate this to the Christian life and our work on earth as Christians. When we come to the end of the way, people, whether a handful or a room full, will gather to remember us. If we have been generous, active, involved in people's lives, and faithful, like Bill, we will have left a legacy and earned the appreciation and filled the hearts of others with memories of our work. That is not why we serve the Lord, but it is an inevitable consequence of a life lived well if imperfectly. Too many who wear the name Christian fill a pew, coast along without getting involved in the lives of others, never win a soul or tell a soul about Jesus, and come to the end of the row without fruit in their hands. Tuesday night at the viewing and yesterday at the funeral reinforced the feeling for me that a Christian life spent serving and helping others, being involved in the Lord's work, leads to an escort that cannot be bought. Thank you, Bill.
Neal Pollard
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