A Tragic Death?

Last week, the world was shocked by the death of Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin. Just 44 years old, the reports list the cause of death as an 8" stingray barb splitting his ribs and piercing his heart. I have read about him quite a bit on the internet since his death, as I haven't had many opportunities to see him, not having had cable tv since 1992. I have also delivered a lot of magazines since then with his picture on the cover and a memorial to him inside. The word I've seen and heard a dozen times, maybe more, is "tragic" or "tragedy." I got to thinking about that. Having already blogged about death a while back, I hesitated to revisit the subject, for fear of overkill....like the proverbial hunting of deer with an H-bomb. But God has some truth for us to understand about all this.

Death was started by Adam and Eve in Gen 3, as a result of their disobedience. Just a short time before, they were naked and not ashamed...heck, they didn't even know they were naked until 3:7, and God asked them in 3:11 "Who told you that you were naked? Innocent blood was shed to make covering for their nakedness (3:21)--the first death recorded in Scripture. From that point on, God kept His promise of Gen 2:17, that "for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." They didn't die immediately in the physical, but they did die spiritually. Nine hundred years and some change later, they died physically, also. The process of death starts the minute we are born, and when I get to heaven, I'll personally thank Adam and Eve for that.

Back to Mr. Irwin...what defines a death as a tragedy? Is it tragic because he was young, with 2 small children? or because he was a well known conservationalist who did much to advance its cause through entertainment and education? or was it because he was a likeable mate, I mean, "crikey!" who wouldn't like the guy? Oh, I know, it was tragic because he was an internationally known TV star and had a lot of money. Well, though my heart goes out to Mrs Irwin and the children, this death is no more tragic than the million and half babies who are killed before they are born, or the homeless guy who slept in a cardboard box and froze to death on the streets of Chicago, or like the 19 year old kid on my mail route that drove himself to his birthplace and committed suicide back in July. All these deaths are terrible and very untimely, but none are tragic in and of themselves.

Here's my opinion and you can disagree if you want....death becomes tragic when the one dying has not come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and will not spend eternity with Him in heaven. God says that every one has an appointment to die and after that, they are judged by God (Heb 9:27). It's not a matter of if we're going to die, but a matter of when. The key is, that time in this life when we accept what God did for us in Christ and believe in the free gift, given to us by faith (Rom 6:23).

For the record, my death will not be a tragedy. I mean, sure, I hope people will miss me and all, and I don't want a morose and weepy visitation and all that. (Oh, and NO country music at my funeral, puh-lease!) After I'm gone, there should be rejoicing, 'cause I'll be HOME with the Lord who bought me with His own blood and adopted me as His son on Aug 26, 1982!!!!

When a person steps out of this life into the next with no Christ, no hope and eternally separated from God, THAT is a tragedy...the ultimate tragedy (Jn 3:18). My prayer is that when Mr Irwin stepped out of this life, moments after removing the stingray's barb from his heart, that the population of hell didn't increase by one that day. That would be a tragedy.