Don’t Count On It, Sonny!
This blog is written by Gary D. Erickson.
The Bible makes two interesting proclamations about lifespans. “And the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years’ ” (Genesis 6:3). The other verse offers fewer years: “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is on labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).
I called attention to these two verses one Sunday morning while teaching my adult class. In jest I suggested, “Just take your pick of which lifespan you prefer—80 years or 120 years!” An elderly gentleman sitting in the second row bellowed loudly for everyone to hear, “Don’t count on it, Sonny! Don’t count on it!” The elderly gentleman was not a church member, but I heard his warning loud and clear: “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).
We have been given only one life and that life will certainly come to an end one day. We know this, not only by observation, but according to the Scripture: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Thus, the old humorous saying: “Two things are certain in life—death and taxes!” When considering our earthly limits, every day should be valued as a precious, treasured gift from God. What we do with our time is our gift back to Him. The uncertainty of our lifespan amplifies the importance of each moment we have.
As we look over our past, there are some things we would obviously do differently, but that is impossible! It’s not wise to brood about how we might live your lives over again, let’s get busy utilizing wisely what’s left! The only choices we have are present ones. Our past is frozen in the tomb of history. The present is prime time! Life is in session now, and there will be no reruns. History cannot be altered one iota. The Psalmist said, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Let’s make every day count! One of the greatest investments in life is to spend it for something that will outlast us. The following poem by Emily Dickinson is rich in wisdom:
Do What I Can
If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain:
If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin. Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
After the flood, lifespans were radically shortened. We all would like to live 120 years, but few get that opportunity! It’s not the length of days that counts. It’s the quality of our days and the impact they have on the world.