Principles that death teaches us about life

 A GOOD TEACHER 

Jun Malazo

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- My article last week was entitled “The Inescapable Appointment.”  In that particular article I discussed the inevitability and reality of death.  My hope and prayer is that it was a help to anyone that perused through it. 

There are many today who have very little understanding of the subject.  I know that the very subject of death makes most people feel uncomfortable.  I am also aware that most people would rather discuss subject matters that are a bit lighter and less serious in nature.  I, for one, like to read lighthearted subjects from time to time just to escape from reality.  

People would rather talk about life.  We like to talk about our plans, dreams, and ambitions in life.  On the contrary, death is a subject that most often do not even consider.  The following story has always been a challenge to me personally as it reminds us of what is really important in life.  The story is from an article entitled, “Living With The End In View.”

“Years ago when William Gladstone was prime minister of Great Britain, the son of a dear friend of his came to him for some counsel about his career.  Prime Minister Gladstone asked the young man what he was going to do, and said, “Well first I’m going to complete my studies at Oxford.” 

“Splendid,” said Gladstone.  “And what then?”  “Well, sir,”  the young man continued, “then I plan to study the law and actually become a prominent barrister, perhaps in London.”

“Wonderful,” said the prime minister.  “And then what?”  “Well, then I hope to rise within the party and land a significant cabinet post.”  “Great idea,” said the prime minister.  “And what then?”  “Then sir,” the young man said kind of sheepishly, “I really hope the I get your job.  I hope to serve the queen with the distinction that you are serving now.”  “A noble gesture,” said the prime minister, “And what then?”  “After serving a long tenure as prime minister, I suspect I will be forced to retire.”  The prime minister said, “And so you shall, and what then?”

The young man said, “Well, when I retire, I hope my mind is sharp and I’m still strong physically and I really hope that I’m able to continue to serve the public and the queen.”  The prime minister said, “A noble ambition, and what then?”

The young man paused and finally continued, “Well, I guess that after years of retirement, I shall die.”  William Gladstone said, “Yes you will, and what then?”  The young man said, “Sir, I have never thought beyond death.”  And the prime minister leaned forward and told him, “My son, you are a fool.  Go home and think through your life with the end in mind, and when you think with the end in mind, this present moment will take on a new meaning.”

Though the thought of death makes most people uncomfortable, it is a needed topic that must be considered.  It is, after all, an inescapable reality.  Modern medical science can prolong life, but it has never found a cure for death.  In reality, death is actually a good teacher.  Death teaches us many principles about life itself and how to live.  Most importantly, the thought of death will help us prepare for the most important appointment of all of our lives—coming face to face with our Creator.

First of all, death teaches us that life is precious.  Life is a gift from God, and we must be thankful for it.  We must be thankful for every breath and every heartbeat.  It is sad that many people today treat life so carelessly.  Life is precious because once it is spent it is gone forever.  We do not get a second chance.  We must consider every moment we spend living. 

Imagine for just a moment if we had the ability with the use of a digital watch to know exactly how much time we have left here on earth before we die.  If we did, I believe there would probably be less people spending time and energy on things that do not matter.  I believe there may be some who would spend less time with their careers and more time with their families.  Perhaps there would be less people doing wrong and more people making amends with those they have wronged. 

Life is valuable.  We can never put a price tag on life because it is priceless.  Death teaches us that life is precious because it is irreplaceable.  Notice the following verse that illustrates this truth:

"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."  (Psalms 139:13-14)

Secondly, death teaches us that life is uncertain.  The following verses support this principle:

"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."  (Proverbs 27:1)

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  (James 4:14)

No one in the world today is guaranteed a tomorrow.  We live on borrowed time. There are many things that could happen to us in the next 24 hours.  You may hear not-so-good news from the doctor at your next appointment.  God forbid, you may be involved in a fatal car crash.  We just never know how our day will turn out. 

A mother was explaining to her little girl the death of her father.  The mother said: “God has sent for your father and will send for us, but I do not know just when.”  Finally the little girl said: “If we do not know just when God is going to send for us, do you not think we had better pack up and get ready to go?  God might send when we are not ready.”

Life is uncertain because we are surrounded with the reality of death.  Over the course of two weeks, I’ve attended two funerals of people in my community.  A third one was underway.  Just a few days ago I was told about a friend whose 32-year-old son died suddenly of cardiac arrest in his sleep. He had no pre-existing medical conditions and was living a relatively healthy lifestyle.  It is important to plan to secure our future, but have you considered what happens beyond this life? 

Thirdly, death teaches us that life on earth is only temporary.  The prophet Isaiah reminds us of this fact in the following verses:

"The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass."  (Isaiah 40:6-7)

My 15-month-old daughter likes to gather flowers around the yard at church and at home.  I think she may have developed that interest because her two older sisters enjoy doing it as well.  We have some beautiful flowers that grow wild here in Sagada.  However, after they are picked they usually wither quite rapidly. 

Their beauty is gone almost as quickly as they are picked from the plant.  The verse above compares our lives to flowers and grass in the field that fade and wither away.  You may be a young person just enjoying your teenage life or you may be at the prime of your life.   But make no mistake, the days will come when we will wither and fade away.

Finally the last principle that death teaches us is how to live life to the fullest.  It is rather ironic to think that death teaches us how to live life.  Death gives us principles about how to make the right choices and how to invest our time. 

A well-known missionary once said, “My greatest fear is not failure.  My greatest fear is success in the things that do not really matter in eternity.”  We must be careful of how we invest our time and effort.  A man in the Bible by the name of Job understood this very principle.  He said in the following verse:

"And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."  (Job 1:21)

We must make the right choices.  The totality of our lives is made out of the single choices we make everyday.

When I was in high school there was a popular quote.  It was written on billboard advertisements.  It was printed on T-shirts and even pasted on the back of cars as bumper stickers.  The quote said, “He who dies with the most toys wins.”  This is simply not true, and yet so many people, though they may not say it in so many words, live by this faulty principle.  Jesus said in the following verse:

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? "  (Matthew 16:26)

What are you willing to exchange for your soul?  There is something beyond this physical life.  It is called eternity.  All that we accumulate in this physical world (material gain or accomplishments) will be left behind.  The following is a line from C.T. Studd’s poem, Only One Life:

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

In closing, we will all someday come face to face with death.  This is why it is important to consider this very uncomfortable subject now.  Life here is short, but eternity is forever.  Your decision whether or not to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior will determine where you will spend eternity. 

The Bible says, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:11-12)  Our years on earth are spent in preparation to meet God.  Are you learning the lessons that death teaches us?  Are you making preparations?