Saturday, November 10, 2012

Life Is A Breath! Job 7:7

James 4:13-16Two weeks ago, my cousin's 16 years old daughter died after having more than 70% of her body and internal organs burned. For the family, it was a tragedy that will take a long time to recover from (if ever). She was a beautiful girl, loved by everyone who knew her and will be remembered forever. Until the accident, nobody would ever suspect that her life would be as short and it would end like that. I confess that I was shocked when I received the horrible news (I’m still perplex). I read this text in James many times, but it never had a profound impact in my life until this tragedy. James is completely right, life is a vapor, one day we’re here, the next we’re gone! Why do we make so many plans (most of them futile) and never even bother asking God if our plans are pleasing to Him? Proverbs 16:1. Worse than make futile plans is to think that we have the power to accomplish them, according to James is an evil arrogance. Jesus Christ made it clear that such thought is “foolishness”: Luke 12:13-20. It is sad to see how many wealthy people are “laying up for themselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19) and are closing their hearts and eyes to see how many people, especially children, are starving to death. I’m not advocating the end of poverty, equality for all human beings (financially speaking), etc, Jesus Himself said that we would always have the poor among us, Mark 14:7, but I’m advocating compassion, mercy and love for the least among us, the ones who God told that we should care for: Deuteronomy 24:17. Jeremiah 22:3. Zechariah 7:10. Think about this: How good is to have plenty here on earth and nothing in heaven (if we make it)? How many times have you given up on something to help someone else? Where is your treasure, on earth or heaven? Would you be willing to forsake everything to do what Jesus Christ tells you to do? Are you showing compassion for the “least of these”? Matthew 25:34-40. If you die today, what would be your legacy?