Yesterday, I wrote about a little spot at the cemetery I recently visited. Those few minutes in that place gave me a great perspective of the last 20 years and caused me to consider the next 20. One noticeable thing I mentioned about the photograph was the proximity of two grave markers—one marked “Neal” and the other “Gray.” The names Neal and Gray have been intertwined in various ways for many years. However, never in my wildest imagination would I have thought that Tom Neal and Bob Gray would have burial plots in the same cemetery, much less even a few feet apart. This thought led me to some conclusions about how this transpired:

These men do not agree on every issue.

I am sure there were times when one man thought the other should arrive at the same conclusion, but he did not. They were big enough about it not to demand complete agreement on every issue in order to be friends.

These men are not perfect, but they are faithful.

Many have tried to discredit what Bob Gray and Tom Neal have done for Christ by pointing out their mistakes and flaws. Neither man has ever claimed to be perfect, but both are faithful. In fact, their shortcomings as men do not negate their faithful work for God. I have yet to see a critic’s life compare to theirs.

They were joined by a cause.

These two men first met because of a cause. They fellowshipped because of a cause. They worked because of a cause. They became friends around a cause. Many look for a friend to share a cause, but it was the cause that took two men and made them friends.

They sharpened each other.

Bob Gray and Tom Neal are different from each other. Their personalities are unique. They have diverse strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, they are alike. These men are different enough but similar enough to sharpen each other. From my perspective, neither man would have accomplished as much for the Lord without the other. This is the way it should be. Even with all our differences, we should make our friends better.

They now comfort each other.

These two now find themselves at the same place in life. The exact reason these thoughts are even being recorded is that both have had to say goodbye to their faithful spouses. They preached together, stood against false doctrine together, fought for a cause together, and now, as widowers, they traverse this stage of life together. How interesting! It is almost as if God planned for these two to be on this planet at the same time. I have watched each man in the dark moments after burying his spouse of more than half a century. While these times have not been easy, they have been easier because these men have each other.

In 20 years, both my father and Bob Gray will be almost 100 years old. I suspect that in the next 20 years, both will enter the presence of their Saviour in Heaven. If I have not preceded them, I will be able to go to that same little spot once again to reflect on how things have changed. It will be even more fitting then, I suspect, that just a few feet apart will stand this reminder:

Sometimes, friends are more like family.