Another Reason Not to Fear Death

Maybe death isn’t as big a deal as we think. Part of believing that, of course, hinges on believing in the afterlife.

But maybe part of it doesn’t.

Think of it this way. God calls each of us to a life of service—of working with God to make a better world. You respond to that call where you are, serving with the gifts and influence you have. In doing so, you add your efforts to the millions of others who are responding to the same call.

Of course, as one person, you can only do so much. When you realize this limitation, you can easily see that the world becomes a better place primarily through we, not me. To mangle the well-worn proverb, it takes a village to do just about anything.

So what happens when we die? The creation of a better world goes on. The we still exists. Many others pick up where we leave off. Certainly—certainly—our contributions matter, and we have not lived in vain.

Sort of takes the edge off death, doesn’t it?

This is not to make light of death’s profound impact on the living. Live in the world for any length of time, and you’re going to affect people deeply. We’re all so interconnected that the loss of any one of us is profoundly painful. But I wonder whether seeing ourselves as part of that larger, interconnected whole removes the sting from our own death, much as the resurrection does.

Adopting a perspective like this, of course, requires a move away from self-absorption. In our culture, making that move is a constant battle. Thankfully, we have with us the constant presence of God, tirelessly drawing us out of ourselves. If we respond, we can become more fully who God intended us to be…and join with God in re-creating the world.