August 22, 2024
by Pastor Chuck SwindollScriptures: James 4:14
AVERAGE LIFE SPANS ARE shorter than most of us realize. Unlike the great redwood trees that can last for a thousand years, most other things come and go quickly.
AVERAGE LIFE SPANS ARE shorter than most of us realize. Unlike the great
redwood trees that can last for a thousand years, most other things come
and go quickly. Several examples illustrate how temporary things really
are:
Copper plumbing: twenty to twenty-five years
Face-lift: six to ten years
Car muffler: two to three years
Dollar bill: five to six years
Painted line on the road: three to four months
Pro basketball player's shoes: one week
I purposely omitted human beings. Most would agree our life span is
somewhere between seventy-five and eighty-five years. The simple fact is,
nobody knows for sure how long they may live. When we read and believe the
warnings in Scripture, there is little doubt that life is short.
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the
morning fog—it's here a little while, then it's gone.
JAMES 4:14
So how can we make our lives count? Three thoughts come to mind.
First, act on your impulses. I challenged a group of people recently to
reach out now to someone—and not wait for the "perfect" moment. A woman in
the audience took my words to heart and contacted a person she hadn't
talked to for a long time. The person was thrilled. She responded, "You
have no idea how much your call has meant to me." She later admitted she
had planned to take her life that very afternoon, but the call had changed
her mind.
Second, focus on the positive. Merchants of negativism may be strong and
sound convincing, but their message is debilitating. Life's too short for
that. Spread germs of cheer. Joy becomes contagious.
Third, traffic in the truth. Refuse to stake your claim on hearsay
evidence. Check out the facts. Be discerning. And if you are a conduit of
communication, speak only the truth. If you're not sure, keep quiet.
What are you waiting for? Let's go!