We must die before we are dead, because afterward, we won't have the chance. I know what you're thinking . . . "What in the world does that mean?" Words similar to that were once penned by C.S. Lewis. Jesus said that if we try to hold onto our life, we will lose it. But if we lose our life, or die, we end up gaining real life (Luke 9:23-25). In order for a seed to grow and become a beautiful plant with flowers, it must first be buried and die. We must chose to "die" to this world's selfishness and our own selfish nature before we physically die.
"Live Through It" is the name of one group's recently released album. Coincidentally, the "star" of the group is Kurt Cobain's wife. Unfortunately, he did not. Many people were shocked and saddened when the "voice of this generation" took a shotgun to his head and committed suicide. Some were so devastated that they followed his lead and ended their life. His songs and actions reflect the hopelessness and despair that many in this generation feel. If a millionaire with incredible fame and hit videos on MTV can't find peace and happiness, what chance do we have? I believe it was Kurt's manager who was quoted in the paper saying Kurt had tried everything, but nothing worked. I was saddened when I read that because I thought, "He didn't try Jesus."
That statement can be misunderstood, so let me clarify. [Duh . . . O.K. Larry, Knock yourself out . . . it is your article]. First, let me say that following Jesus is not something you try on like a pair of Nikes or a new car. Sometimes we have a used car mentality in marriage as well . . . if he or she doesn't work out we can always trade 'em in for a different model. In this pleasure/entertainment oriented society we live in, the idea of commitment and surrender often gets watered down. We're told to follow Jesus because He can solve our problems, He can give us peace, He can heal the hurt from broken relationships, etc. He can do all those things, but that isn't why we should follow Jesus. We follow Him because He is the Lord, He is Truth and He is the only Way (John 14:6). Jesus did not say take up your picnic basket, follow me and we'll party on! He said take up your cross, which is an instrument of death.
Kurt and others may say they "tried" Jesus once, but that usually means they tried being religious or being good or going to church or saying a little formula prayer without a commitment to really follow Jesus. I don't know if he ever "tried" any of those things, but from his lyrics it definitely did not sound like he knew Jesus Christ as his best friend and highest priority (Lord) of his life. I wish I could have shared that with him or that someone else had. I wish he would have "tried" Jesus in a commitment to follow Him. Then he would have found the reason to live. Many would call Kurt a musical genius and it saddens me to see his life end like that.
Eric hung himself and she never told him about Jesus
So what can you or I do about it? There are other "Kurt Cobains" at your school or where you work who may end their life in 5 years or 5 months and it will be just as tragic. We have an opportunity to let them know now while it isn't too late. They may or may not ever be as famous as Kurt was, but they are just as valuable and important in God's eyes (hopefully in our eyes as well.)
Stacey came up to me 6 months after I had shared with her group about the importance of not taking people for granted. I mentioned that time is too short on this earth to be "playing games." She told me that she "blew me off" and let it go in one ear and out the other. (What a dynamic speaker I am!) She didn't think it had anything to do with her, being a "young" Junior in high school. Then she told me that when she got back to school that week, her best friend, Eric, hung himself on Thursday and she had never told him about Jesus. She told me to let people know that it really isn't a game and we really never do know how long our friends or family have left (or ourselves for that matter.)
The "Voice of this generation" has spoken. If anything, he has told us that money, music, fame and popularity don't bring us meaning in life. We may not want to end our life, but if we buy into that lie, we will experience frustration and meaninglessness instead of the joy God wants us to have (John 10:10). "The thief comes to destroy but I (Jesus) come that you might have life abundantly." We can so easily get sucked into that mindset if we spend more time watching the T.V. and listening to grunge, country, rap, rock and disco-opera music rather than reading God's Word or listening to Christian music (which by the way comes in all those styles, except that disco-opera stuff). If we listen to more of the world's ideas and philosophies than to God's, we are naturally going to be more like Clint Eastwood, Madonna, O.J. Simpson and Kurt Cobain than like Jesus Christ (Rom. 12:1,2.) The "Voice of a new generation" has spoken Are we listening?