Virtual Reality

We live in a world filled with virtual perceptions of reality.  Often the image driven culture creates an world that is not really there.  One of the greatest images our culture distorts is the image of death.

Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 says,
"A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
² It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart."  (NIV)

Think about what our image driven culture says.  "Death is bad, dark, scary, and there is nothing good about it."  Then we also tend to say, "Birth is joyful and happy, the future is bright and do birthdays are happy days."  The Bible says the opposite!  How can the Bible say, "...the day of death is better than the day of birth."  Why?

Look at the words around this reality check.  "A good name is better than perfume."  A good name is not given at birth, it is earned by a reputation of being good.  So the day of death is better than the day of birth because at birth nothing has been willingly or consciously accomplished.  But at death we have the opportunity to celebrate a life well lived.  At death we can look at an entire life and rejoice in its courage, service, honesty, labor, success, friendships, and family.

In that regard it is better to go to the funeral home than the party.  As a kid I went to scores of funerals.  We lived close to all the extended family and had huge family reunions and huge funerals.  Some parents disagree, but I was glad for the reality check of funerals.  I understood death.  Grandma did not just disappear, I saw her funeral.  Burying my loved ones was not an imaginary concept, it was real.  Today when I  attend a funeral, I always think about my life and living it so that my day of death is better than my day of birth.

How can you make the day of your death the best day possible?  Live life for Jesus Christ.  Let him do his redeeming work in you.  Allow his word to make your life abundantly blessed as you obey his plans.  My job is to live my life for the greatest glory to God for the greatest amount of time.  Then, I and all my friends will be rejoicing.  Some friends rejoicing on earth.  Some rejoicing with me and Jesus in Heaven.