Dancing in the Face of Death

“Where, O death, is your victory?     Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

My grandmother died last summer at the ripe old age of 95. There was nothing tragic about her death, but no matter the circumstances, we all know that losing a loved one still hurts. Even when we know death is close, it shocks our system when they are finally gone. It feels so final. No matter how much you try to prepare yourself, losing someone just plain hurts.

I was conflicted about having my three-year-old daughter attend the visitation. The family decided to have the casket open, and I didn’t know what seeing my grandmother in that state would do to her. I had spent a good portion of my college career studying how children process death and dying, and yet, I felt helpless despite all my training.

We decided to let our daughter see her, and we tried our best to answer her questions. As more people filed in to pay their respects, our daughter would come and go, sometimes playing, sometimes coming up to us to ask questions. And then, about halfway through the visitation, she began to dance (unprompted) in front of my grandmother’s casket.

Photo by Milo Weiler on Unsplash

At first, it felt inappropriate; this was not a dance hall after all. She needed to learn about being respectful in this somber moment. But I held back and reflected on the childlike joy she was having. She danced before my grandmother, as she had in times past. She was bringing joy and laughter into a place marked by grief—and this is a task for which children are keenly equipped to fulfill. They can bring joy to pretty much any situation, and thank God for that.  

I couldn’t help but reflect on Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15 as she twirled in her dress. Death does not have the final say over us or those we love but see no longer. She danced as a reminder of our hope in Jesus and the power of his resurrection. Death is hard, but there is more with Jesus—more love, more joy, more life—and because of that, maybe the best thing to do is dance.