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Experiences and knowledge are the things that shape your outlook on life. It’s one thing to know something, but it is another thing to experience it. Take parenting for example. Have you ever met the single person who knows how to rear children better than someone who actually has children? Sure you have. There is a difference between theoretically knowing something and actually doing it. Going through experiences helps our knowledge of various circumstances, which is really called wisdom.
Continuing with the thought from previous weeks, after our wreck our perspectives changed. Most of our knowledge had not changed, but we had a new way to look at things. Let me share with you a few lessons we have learned.
Hold Tight to the Ones You Love
You never know when the last moment will be that you get to spend time with the ones you love. We are not promised a tomorrow (Prov. 27:1), therefore we must take advantage of the days while we have them. It would hurt to think about not ever seeing the ones that we love just one more time, but that day will come. Many have experienced this in their lives with the passing of a friend or family member. We have all experienced this to some degree, but on a day when you lose almost everyone you love in a single moment, it has a way of making you think. We thought more about the ones with which we share our home. The family sat closer. The hugs were tighter. Those sweet voices sounded sweeter. Kisses lingered. We thought we were close before, but we became closer that day. Hold tight to the ones you love. There will be a day when you will no longer hold each other in this life.
Keep Your Priorities Straight
When faced with difficulties in life, your priorities will come into focus. This happens whether you want them to or not. What are you focused on? What is most important to you? These are the questions that we should be asking without tragedy rearing its ugly head.
As already has been mentioned we look at our family a little differently now. We have always loved our family, but now we think about our actions differently. When you consider 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 we get a little description of love. We find that love is in fact “patient” and “kind.” After the wreck we are a little less concerned with the minor details in life. Sure we want to teach out kids stewardship and how to take care of things, but we are not going to get bent out of shape with every little spill and mess. There will be a time when you must be more forceful, but that probably is not going to happen that often. Teaching your children to obey is essential (Eph. 6:1-3), but we also need to remember the example that we are setting for our children (1 Pet. 4:8; John 13:34).
In addition to this, are our priorities straight when it comes to the Lord? Are we seeking his kingdom first (Matt. 6:33) or is it second? Meeting with the people of God should be an excuse to miss everything else, not the other way around. If we are like Christ (Christians), then we will want to be involved in the things of His interests (will). We should be involved in every teaching opportunity (Sundays, Wednesdays, Gospel Meetings, etc.). We should want to teach others (Matt. 28:18-20). We should care more about the things of God than we do anything else in this life (Matt. 6:25-34). Why? We are God’s chosen people (1 Pet. 2:9), that’s why.
You Don’t Know When Your Last Moment Will Be
There was a moment during our wreck when I was knocked unconscious and I woke to silence. I was terrified that my entire family had died, and that I would be without their sweet lives for the rest of mine. Any of us (or all for that matter) could have died that day. It could have been our last moment on this earth. Many people asked if we were scared. Physically it was terrifying, but spiritually we were at peace. There is no peace without God.
I have heard people say that they will repent to make things right with God at their last moment. The major fallacy with this thought is that, as in our case, you may not know when that last moment is going to be. Sure some people can see death coming a mile away and are prepared, but you may not have time to prepare, so you better be ready today. We don’t know when our last breath will be or when the Lord will return, but we better be ready for that day (Matt. 24:42-44).
His servant and yours,
Matt McBrayer
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