Jump Start # 3923
Psalms 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.”
His name was Dewayne. Our paths never crossed. I never knew him. His picture appeared in the Kansas City Star newspaper many years ago. It’s a place where most don’t want their picture, the obituary page. I’m not one who normally reads obituaries, but a friend in church told me about Dewayne’s story. Families have to pay to have what is printed in the obit page of the newspaper. And, that’s what makes Dewayne’s obit so unique. His family paid to have those words printed.
It reads: “Dewayne, 67 of Kansas City, KS died on March 23, 2007 at KU Medical Center. An Agnostic infidel gone to a place he didn’t believe exists.” There were other typical remarks such as his education and places of work. But, what a bold proclamation about Dewayne: AGNOSTIC INFIDEL GONE TO A PLACE HE DIDN”T BELIEVE EXISTS.
Our verse today reminds us that it is the fool who closes his eyes to the world around him and declares that there is no God. It seems that there were some bitterness within his family about the choices he made in life.
Some lessons for us:
First, although honesty can sometimes hurt, it is better to tell the truth than to pretend everything is ok. So many would declare that ole’ Dewayne is in Heaven because everyone goes there, even if they are an infidel. Encouraging someone in their wrong only pushes them further from the Lord. They will never change as long as you are supporting them in their wrong.
Reality can be cold and hard. But that’s what we find throughout the Bible.
Stephen called his callous audience “Stiff-necked and uncircumcised” (Acts 7:51)
Peter told Simon that his heart was not right with God (Acts 8:21)
Laodicea was told that they were lukewarm (Rev 3:16)
Sardis was declared dead by the Lord (Rev 3:1)
Honest words can lead to the change necessary to please the Lord.
Second, we will be remembered by the choices we make in life. The family of Dewayne remembered him as an agnostic and an infidel. One’s character is much more important than the degrees earned or the accomplishments at work. Choosing to follow the Lord or to walk away from Him is much more than a religious or moral decision. That choice will color and determine all the other choices in life. From the choice of your words, your outlook on life, how you view yourself, why you believe you are here, your morality are all shaped by our character. A character that is built upon the word of God is going to be kind, forgiving and full of grace. A character not built around God has no reason to be a servant. There is no cause not to be selfish and a law into yourself, when you do not believe in God. Just do whatever makes you happy.
It’s not the car you drive that people will remember you by. It’s not where you lived. Rather, it’s what you did with your life. How caring you were. How generous you were. How righteous you were. Dewayne had college degrees, worked as a college teacher and as a pharmacist, yet his family first and foremost remembered him as an agnostic infidel who went to a place he didn’t believe exists.
When Dorcus died in Acts 9, the disciples remembered her for her kindness.
Third, disbelieving the Bible and ignoring God does not mean those things are not true. The Bible is not just for Christians. It is for all people. People who love it. People who hate it. People who know it. People who deny it. One can live as if God does not exist, but He does. One can live as if the Bible was never written, but it was. Sprinkled all throughout creation are reasons to believe. The Romans were told, “For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The proof is there. It’s visible. However, if one closes his eyes to such divine proofs he can build a theology that ignores God completely.
The infidel may not believe a place in eternity exists. But it does. And on the other side, he’ll see that he was wrong.
For Dewayne, his family believes he went to a place that he didn’t believe exists. For you and I, we are heading to a place that we know does exist. It exists because God exists. It exists because God said so. Home with God is where we are heading.
Roger