1/31/13 Max about 25
“Imagine there's no heaven…It's
easy if you try…No hell below us…Above us only sky…Imagine all the people
living for today…” No heaven or
hell? John Lennon might have been able
to imagine it, but I sure can’t, and it is always interesting to ask people who
don’t believe in an afterlife just what it is they live for. A young man named
Max, whom I found drawing in his sketch book at a Caribou Coffee, had an
interesting answer to this question. “I
have a deathclock on my computer’s wallpaper, which is counting down to the
time I am most likely to die according to my personal profile. It constantly reminds me that life is short,
and inspires me to make the most of the time I have left” I asked how he was “making the most of it” –
what was his purpose in life? He had no
idea, but said he was searching. He was
raised Lutheran, but now criticizes religion, viewing it as nothing more than a
“carrot on a stick” designed to control the masses with promises of heavenly
rewards. He sees himself as being beyond
such base motivations and, like many who call themselves atheists, takes pride
in his perceived ability to be good without God. So after hearing his perspective I was able
to focus on some of his misconceptions about Christianity as I shared the
Gospel. First, it was helpful for him to
understand that the reward of heaven is not material or self-centered, but
rather the reward is God Himself –the joy of being in His presence and being in
a right relationship with Him. Second,
it was important for Max to understand that the motivation for right behavior
is not the compulsion of reward or punishment, but the joy of expressing one’s gratitude
for the cross and the salvation we don’t deserve. These and some other points I made in
response to his statements gave him pause as I could tell he was reflecting
deeply on what I had said. He shook my
hand vigorously as I got ready to go “This
has definitely been the most interesting conversation I’ve ever had at a Caribou
Coffee!” he said thankfully. I pray it
will be much, much more than that.
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