After

 April 28, 2020

After

“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)... There are just some kind of men who - who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

 

 

Living in THIS world is a very important task indeed.

 

Much has been said about religious people worrying too much about their place in the here-after that they forget about those around them in the HERE.

 

But ya know, we need to be first concerned with ourselves, honestly. It’s just that there has to be an “after” of thinking first about ourselves. We’re taught to grab for the oxygen first when it falls down in the airliner, and then help someone else. You see, there is an “after” attached to taking care of ourselves.

 

So I think it interesting that I never really concerned myself with the after-life too much. I think I thought my responsibility was to my fellow human first. But as I get older, I’m thinking deeply about my well-being more- for many reasons. One, because no one else is going to do it. Two, I’m not getting any younger. Three, I’m no use to you unless I am of sound mind and body.

 

I don’t get the impression that our denomination or our local church has placed an enormous emphasis on after life concerns. I think that is partially attributed towards a downright rejection of any after life in the first place. Sometimes I think people are afraid to admit this in “mixed” company. Whatever mix that might be.

 

The reason afterlife may be a weak subject around these parts is because of the concept of judgment- especially God’s judgment. We don’t like to think that God could be very judgmental in our local theology. Especially if we haven’t taken much time in our own lives to right the wrongs of our past.

 

Maybe it’s time to consider our pasts, the wreckage and the glory both. How have we affected the people we have met? Will a good story be reported at the time of our demise? Can we easily walk off this existence of ours into whatever follows bodily life, knowing our path is clean?

 

I hope you can. God is there to listen, if you a little help.

 

Rev. Ken