| Typical motivational pitches aren’t all that motivational. Most of them have run their course and have become oversimplified and bland. Somehow, though, they can still sell a book or pack a conference. Someone once asked GaryVee for a bit of encouragement. His response wasn’t typical. If you haven’t heard of him, he is a successful entrepreneur with a global reputation. He’s known for being blunt and straight forward. His encouragement that day was, “You’re going to die.” Death as motivation isn’t popular. It doesn’t sell well. I took his point to be what the psalmist once said: Teach us to number our days (Psalm 90:12). That is both a prayer recognizing the judgment of God and the fleetness of life. The old question is, What would you do if today was the last day of your life? Asking assumes today isn’t. We are arrogant that way. Our faith teaches us to not fear death. But it was a strong opponent. It took the Son of God to defeat it. And in this life, death still makes an appearance. It influences how we live. It keeps people from living. “You’re going to die,” then, isn’t a morbid reality. It’s a wake-up call. In the opening chapters of Revelation, Jesus speaks to seven churches. Each has a reputation known to our Lord. Each needs encouragement and a reality check. To the church in Sardis, Jesus says, “I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1b). In other words, your reputation precedes you. But so does your fruit. It’s altogether terrifying and freeing to know Jesus sees through our shallowness and pageantry. If we’re willing, we can give up the show and walk in deeper communion with the God of all Creation. So, what is it the church should do in response? “Wake up, ” Jesus says, “and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death” (Revelation 3:2). “You’re going to die” reminds us we’re still alive. We can still know abundant life. It’s still possible to dream with God. To work with the purpose God gave each of us. The church in Sardis needed to examine the parts of their life that were close to death. What will we learn if we do the same? We live between the resurrection of Jesus and our life in heaven. That means there’s always the chance for new life today. Knowing life is a mist, may we face the future unafraid and live with full devotion to Christ. Stay blessed…john |
John Fletcher
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