Articles
The Dash
There is a story floating around about a eulogy given where the speaker noted that, like with many others, there would soon be a tombstone marking the burial place of the decedent, and on it the date of birth and the date of death, separated by a dash, indicating the length of life. But the speaker then noted that more important than the date of birth or the date of death was that little dash, because that represented the life that was lived. He then asked the audience, "What will the dash represent on your tombstone?"
Good question!
If we were to ask 100 people what life was all about, or what was the one thing every individual must do before they died, I imagine we would get 100 different answers. Man quite often sets his own standards and valuates his own goals, and everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different influences as to what is most important, so if there is one answer to the question, we will have great difficulty sorting out the wrong answers from the true when we appeal to man.
We would do better to listen to our Creator, would we not? Since God knows us best [better than we know ourselves], and since we will have to give an account to our Lord in the end (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10, 12), it would be wise to hear what God has told us about where we should spend our time and efforts. If those efforts will be judged, if our words will be judged, if our thoughts will be judged, and if our motives will be judged, we would do well to take more than a superficial look at life, would we not? [Yes!]
While the world’s thinking about what is most important seems to be limited to the material and fleshly pursuits, maybe we should take a look at what God has to say about those pursuits. Is the accumulation of wealth a worthy endeavor? Wisdom and knowledge? Fame and celebrity? Power? Physical health, beauty, or fitness? Maybe it’s the pursuit of being able to be recognized by our fellow man as “the best” in something? Again, what does God say about it?
Once, a man came to Jesus and pleaded, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me” (Luke 12:13). At first, Jesus answered that He was no arbitrator for him, but then said to the man and all who were listening, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:14, 15). In the story that Jesus told following His rebuke, the foolish rich man was asked of God, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12:20); they would be his no longer, and those goods would not benefit him! One of the wealthiest men to ever live on this earth concluded that the accumulation of wealth was a fruitless effort, for in the end, he would simply leave it all to someone else (Eccl. 2:18, 19). From these words, we may know that the dash shouldn’t be about how much money one accumulates.
This rich man was also one of the world’s wisest men ever to live, and he sought wisdom, as many men still do. What was his experience, and what was his conclusion? “I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge. And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Eccl. 1:16-18). Not a very encouraging experience, from one who had “been there, done that” regarding wisdom and knowledge.
When we consider God has “made foolish the wisdom of this world” (1 Cor. 1:20), and, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Cor. 1:25), then the pursuit of human wisdom and knowledge doesn’t seem like the best course of life.
How about fame and celebrity? Is the pursuit of fame and celebrity something that makes life worth the living? We could ask those who have experienced fame, and many could tell you it’s quite often a hassle, stressful, and sometimes outright dangerous. Celebrities have been stalked and murdered by supposed 'fans,' and many others killed themselves because they could not handle fame. Some of the most well-known men were more infamous than famous, so name recognition isn’t always a good thing!
Now might be a good time to consider the words of Jesus, who warned, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26); not all praise is genuine, and it may be that people praise and honor us with ulterior motives, or maybe even a huge act of insincerity. And what will it do for us in the end? Nothing. In John’s vision of the Judgment, he tells us, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God” (Rev. 20:12). It didn’t matter if they were rich or poor or powerful or powerless; they would all stand before God and be judged by their deeds — not their celebrity status! Fame is not a worthwhile pursuit!
How about power? The answer may be found when considering such powerful men as the Pharaoh who ruled what was probably the most powerful empire on the earth at the time he ruled, whose kingdom was obliterated by the power of God when He brought the Israelites out of bondage (Exod. 8-15), or Nebuchadnezzar, who also ruled one of the most powerful kingdoms of his time [Babylon], only to be humbled by God when he forgot who ruled over all kingdoms (Dan. 4). When God rules over all the kingdoms of men, and raises up whom He wishes to raise, and brings down whom He wishes to humble, what profit is there in making this our life goal? In the end, it will contribute absolutely nothing in providing an entrance into heaven.
Well, that leaves us with physical health, beauty, and fitness. Consider a couple of passages to know whether or not this is a worthwhile endeavor. First, Paul notes, “bodily exercise profits a little” (1 Tim. 4:8); while bodily exercise will help us to be healthy and possibly live a bit longer without too many troubles, it is no guarantee, and a healthy body does nothing towards obtaining an eternal reward. If anything, Paul’s words to the Corinthians should remind us of the futility of such a pursuit: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:50-52). A physically-fit body will be changed into a glorious body, in the end, so why make that a lifetime pursuit?
So, the pursuits of men fail in every case. What is left for us? What shall we pursue? What should our “dash” be all about? Hear the wise writer once again: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all” (Eccl. 12:13).
Make your “dash” all about pleasing God. THAT is a worthwhile effort! —— Steven Harper
