Recently, Hailey Williams put out a new song. Listening to her new stuff made me nostalgic for the old, so I've been listening to Paramore nonstop for a few days now.
The non-Christian view of mortality goes something like this:
"This could be the last day you live, so get everything you can from it."
The Christian view is subtly different:
"This could be the last day you live, so give everything you can."
Do you see the difference?
There is so much pressure on us, outside of Christ, to always be living the best life we can, to always be getting the most out of our time. This can only lead to FOMO. "What if I'd be having more fun in that friend group?" "What if I'd be more fulfilled if I joined that cause?" "What if I'd be more fulfilled if..." Do you feel the pressure now?
Ecclesiastes has a lot to say about this. After relating the futility of being good or evil because it seems that justice is dealt out at random, the Preacher says, "I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun" (Eccl 8:15). If death is inevitable, and justice is random then why not eat drink and be merry? Get as much as you can out of the day!
The Christian cannot do so. Death is not the end, but the entrance into the next stage of life, one that will never end with the Lord. The inevitability of death has a different effect on those in Christ. Paul says it well in Philippians,
One of the older songs really struck me: "Born For This" on the "Riot!" album. The chorus goes like this:
Everybody singAnd it made me think of this interesting distinction between a Christian view of the inevitability of death and a non-Christian view.
Like it's the last song you will ever sing
Tell me, tell me do you feel the pressure now?
Everybody live
Like it's the last day you will ever see
Tell me, tell me do you feel the pressure now?
The non-Christian view of mortality goes something like this:
"This could be the last day you live, so get everything you can from it."
The Christian view is subtly different:
"This could be the last day you live, so give everything you can."
Do you see the difference?
There is so much pressure on us, outside of Christ, to always be living the best life we can, to always be getting the most out of our time. This can only lead to FOMO. "What if I'd be having more fun in that friend group?" "What if I'd be more fulfilled if I joined that cause?" "What if I'd be more fulfilled if..." Do you feel the pressure now?
Ecclesiastes has a lot to say about this. After relating the futility of being good or evil because it seems that justice is dealt out at random, the Preacher says, "I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun" (Eccl 8:15). If death is inevitable, and justice is random then why not eat drink and be merry? Get as much as you can out of the day!
The Christian cannot do so. Death is not the end, but the entrance into the next stage of life, one that will never end with the Lord. The inevitability of death has a different effect on those in Christ. Paul says it well in Philippians,
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (Phil 1:21-26)
The fact that we could die at any time is not reason to try and get all we can from the day, but to give all we can. Once we pass through death our labors are over, and what a short time they will seem! So give all you can! For our days of sojourning are few and evil (Gen 47:9). So let us look forward with hope to the day when we will be forever with the Lord. And let us strive with all of our strength (by the grace of God) until that day!
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