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Perceptions #31
ON DEATH AND DYING
by Charles Hodge
"Death," in political correctness, is a "no-no." You don't talk about death in polite society. Even "death" and "hell" are exiled from church. You cannot get people to "pre-arrange" their funerals. We are all "shocked" when death comes. Life is a gift...not an entitlement. Life is a blessing from God - be responsible with it. Why should death shock us? We are all terminal (some more urgently). We can die even before we are born. All that are born die. You cannot get out of here alive. Every town has a cemetery...every paper has an obituary. All of us know the pain of death from family and friends. Why do we deny and defy death?
In terminal cases doctors leave the ill to nurses. Medicine doesn't know what to do nor how to act. The word, death, cannot be used. Hospice is called in. Paradoxically, we then say, "He is better off dead!" How silly can we get? We all KNOW we are going to die. . . we just refuse to BELIEVE it. This is why we push celebrities -- "they can do it." Then they die -- we are devastated. Look at Princess Di... JFK, Jr.! The whole world went BONKERS. "You failed us!" We know we are going to die... but we lie to ourselves, "Not today." It will happen but not today. Death always comes suddenly.
If we did believe we would die we would live differently. In other words you must learn how to die before you can live.* The Bible talks about worldly people being dead while alive. Jesus tells us to live while dead! Jesus calls us to die to live.
"Is today the day?" Martin Luther said, "Best health - death before us." He that does not prepare for death is a fool. Isaiah told Hezekiah to "set his house in order." Visit the terminally ill (urgently). They are not interested in taller houses, bigger cars, fun and games. Each day is a treasure. Family is special. Friends are special. They enjoy the sunset, the beauty of roses. Life has a totally different perspective, a different set of priorities, with a serious concept of death.
By the way, when you are ready you don't have to get ready.
Norman's e-mail address is: nlbales@allaboutfamilies.org