I would like to share a very serious topic this time of year. During the Christmas and New Year season everyone, especially Christians, are suppose to be "merry" and happy, well did you know the Christmas and New Year season is the number two time of the year when people, including Christians, commit suicide? Only spring time when all the trees, bushes, and flowers are blooming and all is alive do many people, including Christians, take their lives. My friend, suicide is a bad way to introduce yourself to God. Just this last week I have heard of three people who took their lives and one was a dear Pastor friend I have known for many years. When I heard the news today I knew God was dealing with me to write this article. Now most articles like this one usually goes off on a tangent; they committed suicide and now they are in hell mode, but I am not going to go there nor should anyone else. My friend God is the judge and jury, He alone is God and gets to make the final call on Heaven or hell. Anyone that steps in otherwise is operating in great presumption and on dangerous ground of judgment themselves. Who could put someone in hell? Oh my friend I wish no one would go to hell, but we know many many people will end up there. Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction (translated separation in hell), and many there be which go in thereat:" (Matthew 7:13) Let us do what we must do to prevent us and our family members from going to hell.
What I would like to do in this Blog entry is to look at a reason why one would commit suicide when there is so much to live for and encourage you to be your brother's keeper during this time of the year (and all year long) by taking time to talk with your family and friends, if you notice something not quite right. We all have friends and family and kind of know them, maybe not everything about them, but kind of know them in many ways. If we see them doing or saying something out of character stop and take some time to make sure they are okay. Cain asked God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Well my friend the answer to that question is yes. We must always be compassionate and understanding, especially during this time of the year, with our friends and family. We must never be in a rush to complete our Christmas shopping list or to busy to attend some religious church activity while over looking the needs of our family and friends. Always remember, the hallmark of us being called a Christian (or little Christ) is our love for our brothers and sisters. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." (1 John 3:16-19)
When I think of people that commit suicide the over riding thought is loss of hope. Hope is the element in God between faith and charity (love). "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." (1 Corinthians 13:13) We may have all faith and love, but if we have lost "hope" we have lost our heart to endure. And if we lose our heart all is lost. Hope is what keeps us going in the face of bad situations and circumstances. We can lose our faith and even our love and still make it, but my friend is we lose our "hope" all is in danger of being lost. We must guard our "hope" with all diligence. Paul said well, "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death." (Philippians 1:20) "Hope" provides in us an expectation for the future and a coming to an end of fulfillment in our lives. Oh my friend we must guard with all fervour the "hope" in us. Lastly our "hope" in us is Christ also in us and our "hope" of glory. "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1:27)
During this holiday season please let us be senitive to the Holy Spirit and to the needs of our brothers and sisters. Let us remember not everyone may be "merry" and happy as you and let us look for the opportunity to share the real Christmas story; Jesus Christ the "hope" of the world.
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