I am at the age where I am seeing movie stars who I have watched for years
pass away. The other day Lisa and I were watching the movie “Doubt” and
enjoyed the excellent acting of Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
For those of you
not familiar with him it is commonly believed that he died of a drug
overdose at age forty six. He was found dead in his New York City apartment.
That was it for Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
Death. That is how it goes for all movie, sports, television, musicians and
literary starts. They end up dead. They have the appearance of having more
life than anyone. Beautiful homes. Beautiful cars. Beautiful spouses.
Beautiful clothing. They also have one more thing. Adoration. They are
adored by millions and treated as royalty who are one step shy of deity. How
many people look upon them and say, “If I could just be them”. We watch the
world clamor after them and wonder what it is like to be them. Then, the
great equalizer enters the scene of the acclaimed actor or actress and they
are no longer acting like they are dead because now they are. What then?
What was gained in view of eternity? What did their forty, fifty or sixty
years gain them in consideration of the endless time in which they now
exist. The Egyptians used to put things in the deceased’s coffin so they can
use it in the afterlife. That is not the way it works. We leave it all
behind. All that we cherish – gone. And then we all have an appointment not
matter what kind of house we lived in or what kind of car we drove and it is
not an appointment we can skip:
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment.- Hebrews 9:27
Jesus asked, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Hollywood stars indeed seem to
have gained the whole world, even though we know better through the accounts
of the misery that visits itself upon many of them even in this life.
What awaits those who seemingly have gained the whole world? What will it
be for Mick Jagger, Coby Bryant, Lady Gaga, Ken Follett, or Diane Sawyer? I
am not picking any of these individuals for any reason other than they
seemingly have “it all”. What will all that they have “profit” them.
It is also important to take the focus off such individuals and bring it
back to us. Every day is a gift given to us by God. Jesus gave us much to
think about in terms of how we spend them, including:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
The clock is ticking. The days are growing shorter and our lives are
passing quickly.
Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
James 4:14
When it comes to living life it seems that there is one word of advice that
stands out far above the rest. Seek ye first the kingdom of God….every
day…every hour…live intentionally with any eye on what can be done for Jesus
Christ.
In the movie “Doubt”, Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s character was a priest who
seemed to be giving himself to the work of the church but aspersions of
sexually assaulting young boys encircled his character. It seemed as if the
priest was just acting righteous but was hiding darker secrets. Phillips
Seymour Hoffman acted the part so well. What talent. In every role he played
he gave himself to creating what wasn’t actually there. Now he knows what
really exists. No more acting. The jig is up.
Let’s all do what we can to glorify God. Our number will be up before we
know it.
For Him,