Why do good things?

Sad Stories.

One of my best friends died in 2018. We were classmates in school, and she was smart, brilliant, a CPA, and a hard worker. She volunteered to help people around her, supporting her classmates when they had a difficult assignment, sorting out school departments when they needed a helping hand with an event or a project. She was well known and liked. She was in her early 20’s, not much older than any of you. She got hit by a truck that had lost control and veered off toward her as she was walking by that road. She was headed to class. She died on the spot.

Her death caused shock waves across the whole school. During some chapel sessions, many people paid tribute to her, remembering her tearfully and wondering why God would allow this to happen. She was clearly the quintessential christian doing God’s work who got hit by a truck. People in school were questioning what death was all about. I think the real question was… why do anything at all if this was to happen to you.

Some get their comfort in knowing that she is in heaven, and if you had a character like that, you would also end up in heaven when you die. Its a valid position, but it raises even more concerns, like.. how do you really know you will end up in heaven? What if you did something naughty - you know, just a slight mistake, and you got hit by a truck before you could do anything about it? Does that mean you will miss heaven entirely?

I have another sad story. My dad died when I was in form one. It’s more than 20yrs ago now, but I still remember it vividly. My dad was a cool dad, the kind of dad you could show off, you know? He worked very hard, took time to chat and play games with all his kids, cooked for us on many occasions, made most of the furniture we owned. He worked relentlessly hard. He loved my mom a lot. He loved her so much, that when he was given an opportunity to preach on a Sunday in an AIC church, she stood right there beside him and they preached together. That was back in the day when women sat on one side of the church, and men sat on the other. Women could not show their hair, they had to cover it with a hair scarf to be decent; yet, my dad preached with my mom, squeezing together in the same pulpit and presenting a well coordinated sermon. When he was in his late forties, my dad developed a blood disease, which required surgery in South Africa. He never made that trip, and I managed to kiss him goodbye the evening before he died. He is buried in the Kijabe Hospital cemetery, which is reserved for missionaries who did the work of God under the AIC church.

Would he work as hard to be a great dad, a great husband and a faithful missionary if he knew he would die of a blood disease? Would you? Do you think my dad is in heaven? If he was, does that comfort you?

Thinking about it

Many of you are working hard in school, because education gives the possibility of providing upkeep, and when you excel, you might achieve the kind of prosperity that is shown on television. Education also provides you with the skills and perspective to make good decisions in life - decisions that support the idea of family, integrity and compassion. Education gives you an ideal picture of what to expect, and what to do about it… but life is not like that. Many people die very young, some tragically, some out of foul play, others from debilitating disease. That’s just the way life is. Here is what Solomon said about life:

Ecclesiastes 3:16–4:3 NKJV

Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there. I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter. Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive. Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

The New King James Version Chapter 3

Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment,

Wickedness was there;

And in the place of righteousness,

Iniquity was there.

17 I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,

For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”

19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.

20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.

21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?

22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

4:1 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:

And look! The tears of the oppressed,

But they have no comforter—

On the side of their oppressors there is power,

But they have no comforter.

2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,

More than the living who are still alive.

3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,

Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

The New King James Version Chapter 3

Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment,

Wickedness was there;

And in the place of righteousness,

Iniquity was there.

17 I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,

For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”

19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.

20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.

21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?

22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

4:1 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:

And look! The tears of the oppressed,

But they have no comforter—

On the side of their oppressors there is power,

But they have no comforter.

2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,

More than the living who are still alive.

3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,

Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

This is not to make you feel sad, or to give up on life, but that’s just the way life is. I suspect some of you have experienced certain hardships - death, poverty, violence and other evils in the world. There is little Education can do to prepare you for the relentless discomfort life is about to dish out, but this is something we must think about, because there is hope -

The Hope

Love. There is nothing quite like it. To love and be loved presents a picture of a life that all men desire. Imagine living in a world whether everyone loved you, where no one takes advantage of you - they are always thinking about your welfare. There would be no need for security guards, no need for fences, no need to even sleep indoors, because ants, spiders, snakes, carnivores and other dangerous things like the corona virus would not be trying to kill you - you can simply sleep outside - under those trees in the cool of the evening.

Girls would not be scared to walk at night, because there is no danger from men seeking harm. Such a world is indeed a fantasy right now. It does not seem real - but is it?

Isaiah 65:17–25 NKJV

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them. “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the Lord.

Isaiah 65:17

This hope speaks of a reality beyond death, beyond suffering, beyond poverty and beyond violence. It speaks of a world that God is trying to make a reality, and He sent His son Jesus to initiate a world full of justice, freedom from death, pain and violence. This world is not just a description of heaven, it is a description of a reality that looks very much like what we now live in - except for all the evil, carnage and hatred - instead - love. Love for everyone and everything, and love from everyone and everything.

Here’s what Jesus is asking us to do:

Luke 12:22–34 ESV

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:22-34

So, why do good things?

There is a world that’s coming that is free from all pain, suffering and anguish - we can show other people what that might look like by loving them

You look more like your heavenly Father, who wants to give good things to His children

Your life has purpose. It’s no longer just a random chase for wealth and prosperity, but has an eternal meaning which will resonate into the distant future.