Death….it’s not a topic you probably see a lot of blogs
written about. It’s probably not
even a topic you think about much until you’re faced with it. Whether it’s a family member, a friend,
or even yourself….we tend to put of thinking about death until we have to.
But death should be something we think about well before we’re
forced to. Certain topics make us
take a step back, evaluate, and then move forward…possibly in a new
direction. I think death is one of
those realities that can alter our perception and change our priorities.
One of my friends just had a family member pass away and
it’s a hard thing to deal with…especially when you’re thousands of miles apart
from where everything is taking place and where you can connect with loved
ones. A couple days ago we all sat
together and listened as my friend told stories from the memories he shared
with this family member. Some of the
stories were funny and some were sobering, but all of them pointed to the
character in the person that he had loved.
As we sat and were faced with the reality of a life ending,
it made us look at our own families and our own lives. I thought about the legacy I would
leave. About how people would
remember me. About the people that
are close to me and not knowing when any of our lives will end.
John 12:24…
“Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
The kingdom of God usually works backwards to the way
everything else does. When I hear
about someone dying, I think of an end.
But in the kingdom…it’s really the beginning. When I hear of someone dying, I think of how life is
over. But in the kingdom…it’s the
start of something new.
In the midst of death there is hope and there is life….yes,
life. When Jesus went to the
cross, He knew that His death would bring us life. He knew that in order to bring freedom, He had to willing
lay down His life.
We can sit and think about what our legacy will be. We can think about what people will say
about us after we’re gone. We can
try to live a better life and make it more meaningful. But I’m reminded of the kernel of wheat
and the lesson I think we need to learn from it. It brought life and multiplied its impact by dying.
So the question is…do you wait till your physical death to
hope for an impact, or do you die to yourself today, tomorrow and the next day
to bring life into places that need it?
The challenge isn’t to live so your death will be remembered, but to
live so your physical death won’t be the first death you’ve experienced.
