If you knew the exact moment you were going to die, would you start living your life differently? If so, how would you live your life differently and why would you do it? If I knew when I am going to die, I would certainly change some things in my life. This makes me think about where I invest my time, money, and feelings; along with what I would change in the future to make sure every last second that I have to live is full of meaning.
A few months ago, my New Testament professor was talking to our class about wisdom. He talked about how the difference between the wise man and the unwise man is that the wise man knows he is going to die, and the unwise man does not.
In Ecclesiastes 2:14-17, Solomon says:
“The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. Then I said to myself, ‘The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?’ I said to myself, ‘This too is meaningless.’ For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!” (NIV).
Both the wise and the unwise have the same fate: death. I think what Solomon is trying to say is that the wise man realizes his fate, and fills his life with things that are meaningful. The wise man knows time is fleeting and he only has so much of it to make things right. The unwise man does not realize his fate and lives as if he will never die, filling his life with things that will not matter in the end; or worse, take him to hell when he does die.
Ecclesiastes is often seen as depressing, because Solomon talks a lot about how everything in life is meaningless and that all is vanity. I think that Solomon had to talk extensively about all of the depressing stuff because he could not have gotten his point across clearly if he did not. It is important that we do not miss the purpose of this book. In the end of the book, he sums it up by saying that everyone will die and everything that man does is meaningless without God. Solomon states his conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, which says:
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (NIV).
Solomon's point is that without God, everything we do is meaningless. To live as a wise person is to realize that you are dying, and that you need to fill your life with meaning. The only thing that will matter when we die is our relationship with God. To fill your life with meaning is to fill your life with God.
With all of this said, I know that I am dying. I know that our days here are short, and we have little time to make our life meaningful. The way to make this life meaningful is to fear God and obey His commandments, as Solomon said. I encourage you, friends, to not take this task lightly. Center your life around it. Fearing God and obeying His commandments will give you eternal life, and there is nothing more meaningful than that.