A Tragic Death

Several years ago we held a special Veteran’s Day service in our church to honor veterans. Because it was an election year, we also invited politicians to join us, thinking they would, being as they were up for election and wanted to go anywhere with a crowd of potential voters. We were right. We had a big crowd and quite a few candidates from both major parties. It was a nonpolitical service (as everything is here at The Bridge) and we saw it as an opportunity to expand our reach with The Gospel.Also in that service, was an area crusader for atheist causes, who came to video what we were doing in hopes of catching us “mixing church and state.” Nothing came of his presence, and I was glad he was here to hear the Gospel. But I was also saddened by his zeal for eternal nothingness. He was a well-known person throughout the area for bringing lawsuits against anything religious in the public eye.I read in the Tribune that he just found out how wrong he had been. He was tragically killed when the experimental plane he was piloting crashed. I sincerely feel bad for him and his family. And I cannot help but wonder what was going on in his mind as he was rapidly descending towards the ground. And then again, in the moment after when he realized that this life is not all that there is, and that he was now at the mercy of what he spent his life crusading against.Even in the most obvious situations, we don’t know where a person is spiritually. I’m glad I’m not the Judge. And I have no idea what was in his thoughts the days and hours that led to his death. Perhaps God revealed himself to this man in a “Paul-like” fashion. But that probably didn’t happen. And that causes me to grieve. I want everyone to embrace the truth of Jesus and his resurrection, and what that means to them personally.So, this is a renewed reminder to us that we are surrounded by people who are far from God. They don’t need Christian symbols in their face or bumper stickers to read at stop lights. They don’t need a fight in court over public prayer or an angry comment for saying, “Happy Holidays,” instead of “Merry Christmas.”They need friends who will be Jesus to them. They need people in their lives who will witness with their demeanor, their walk of faith, and their words of truth, so that it becomes evident that the God who is real to you, could also be real to them.I wish I had known this man before he crashed. But then again, I know plenty others who are in the same spiritual condition. You do too. Let’s be the light in darkness that Jesus called us to be.