Living Good….Dying Better…
Last night myself and a couple of friends were able to get away to see a movie, which I don’t get to do for several reasons. First, with three girls I find it a little difficult to get away, second, I am pretty picky, and finally, they are WAY too expensive. But last night I convinced myself that the new Leonardo Dicaprio flick (Shutter Island) was worth the adventure…and I will say it didn’t disappoint.
Now I am not going to spill the plot line…but I was struck by one of the final lines in the movie. Right near the end one of the characters asks, “Which would be worse, to live as a monster or to die as a good man?” Given the context of the movie it was a rather poignant question. However, given the context of real life, it really is a no brainer. I will hazard a guess that most of us would want to die as a good man and not live as a monster, but unfortunately in God’s eyes, that is not exactly what we are doing.
Now “monster” can be defined as an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts, but it can also be defined as a cruel wicked and inhuman person. So right now you are probably saying to yourself, “What’s your point?” Well let me tell you…when we don’t live purposely for God, we are against him, which puts us in the exact same boat as a wicked or inhuman person. Ultimately meaning we will be separated from God…
Right now the calendar finds us right in the middle of Lent with Holy Week just around the corner. On April 1st of Holy Week we will celebrate Maundy Thursday. It is called Maundy from the Latin word Mandatum which means mandate. In John 13:34 during the last Supper Jesus is quoted as saying, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
No one would deny that they don’t want to live as a good man, but unfortunately our actions speak differently. We don’t live to love one another as Jesus loved us. We don’t give fully, freely, or as completely to our neighbors as we should. And worse than that – we act selfishly towards God. Most of the time, even those of us with the best of intentions, give God leftovers.
This is not what God wants and it is not what God expects. In His eyes this makes us a monster because we are acting wicked (meaning evil in nature and practice)…but that can change. That should change. That must change…
We just have to make the conscious decision to live good by loving one another just as Jesus loved us and to love our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Remember this daily and especially on Maundy Thursday…because living good allows us to die better…
Until next time…
Pastor Barry
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