Opinion / Columnist
When you die, will people celebrate or mourn your death?
12 Jul 2021 at 11:46hrs | Views
Today, 12 July, I am glorifying my Creator, Jehovah God Almighty, in Christ Jesus' name, for placing me on this planet forty eight (48) years ago.
However, for me, birthday anniversaries are never an opportunity for mindless celebrations - but, a time for some needed serious introspection over where my life has come from, where it is going, and whether I am fulfilling what my Creator, in all His divine wisdom and glory, placed me on Earth to accomplish.
Let us all remember that, everything that was created by God - through Christ Jesus - was created for a purpose, which was predetermined.
As a matter of fact, each and every one of us does the same.
How many of us have ever made something - whether a simple meal, or written an article, or designed a piece of clothing, or developed a particular technology - without, first, having a set goal and objective for that particular creation?
The same applies to God.
Each and every plant, each and every animal, and even each and every insect was placed on this planet for a purpose - a purpose, that was not designed to benefit itself, but rather, everything and everyone around it.
This morning, as I woke up to my 48th year of existence, I had to be truthful with myself - was I created to benefit others, or to make their lives miserable?
Have I been merely existing (as a living, breathing entity), or have I had a life that benefits others?
In other words, was I created to uplift my own life, or that of others?
In fact, the most pressing of all these questions was, "What would be more beneficial to this world - my existence, or my non-existence?"
These are questions which each and every one of us need to ask themselves.
I thought of the bees, and wondered what would become of this world if we were to wake up one morning to discover that they had all vanished?
Would that not spell imminent doom for life as we knew it - as there would be nothing to pollinate all our crops and fruit trees, and the grass and plants that animals forage on?
Without bees, life on Earth would perish.
Then, I asked myself, "What about humankind itself. What would happen to the world if one morning there was not one single human being to be found on the face of the planet?"
The answer to that was quite simple, but clearly quite disturbing - there would be no more pollution, environmental degradation would immediately end, there would be no tyrants and dictators, and all crime and murder would disappear.
That is truly troubling.
In a nutshell - as human beings stand today, unlike the bees, and other creations of God Almighty (who add value to the world), in our case, the world would be a far much better place without us.
Which then brings up another question - if I were to die today, would people feel a huge gap in their Iives, and be sad, or would they celebrate the end of their misery and torment at my hands?
All human beings were wonderfully and fearfully made by our Jehovah God Almighty, in His likeness and image, through Christ Jesus, that we may add great value to this world.
Just like everything else He has created in His infinite wisdom and love, our presence here should be a blessing to others, more than it is to ourselves.
Our primary goal in life ought not be self-satisfaction, or self-aggrandizement - but rather, to uplift the lives of those around us.
The fruit tree seldom benefits from the fruits it bears - but, they serve as nutrition and sustenance for other creatures - whilst, the tree itself is provided life from God, through the soil, water and sunlight.
We, as human beings - as similarly made by the same God who created the fruit tree - our main focus is for our lives to bear fruit that nourishes and develops other's lives, and make the world a better place.
We were never created so that we make other people's lives miserable, neither were we placed on Earth to fulfill our own selfish ambitions, which merely benefit and serve ourselves.
Each and every one of us needs to introspect, and ask themselves - "If I were to die today, would my death leave the world a worse place, or would the world actually become a better place for those I would have left behind, or worse still, would my death not even leave an impact at all?"
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and political commentator. Please feel free to contact him on WhatsApp/Call: +263715667700 / +263782283975, or Calls Only: +263733399640, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com
However, for me, birthday anniversaries are never an opportunity for mindless celebrations - but, a time for some needed serious introspection over where my life has come from, where it is going, and whether I am fulfilling what my Creator, in all His divine wisdom and glory, placed me on Earth to accomplish.
Let us all remember that, everything that was created by God - through Christ Jesus - was created for a purpose, which was predetermined.
As a matter of fact, each and every one of us does the same.
How many of us have ever made something - whether a simple meal, or written an article, or designed a piece of clothing, or developed a particular technology - without, first, having a set goal and objective for that particular creation?
The same applies to God.
Each and every plant, each and every animal, and even each and every insect was placed on this planet for a purpose - a purpose, that was not designed to benefit itself, but rather, everything and everyone around it.
This morning, as I woke up to my 48th year of existence, I had to be truthful with myself - was I created to benefit others, or to make their lives miserable?
Have I been merely existing (as a living, breathing entity), or have I had a life that benefits others?
In other words, was I created to uplift my own life, or that of others?
In fact, the most pressing of all these questions was, "What would be more beneficial to this world - my existence, or my non-existence?"
These are questions which each and every one of us need to ask themselves.
I thought of the bees, and wondered what would become of this world if we were to wake up one morning to discover that they had all vanished?
Would that not spell imminent doom for life as we knew it - as there would be nothing to pollinate all our crops and fruit trees, and the grass and plants that animals forage on?
Without bees, life on Earth would perish.
Then, I asked myself, "What about humankind itself. What would happen to the world if one morning there was not one single human being to be found on the face of the planet?"
The answer to that was quite simple, but clearly quite disturbing - there would be no more pollution, environmental degradation would immediately end, there would be no tyrants and dictators, and all crime and murder would disappear.
That is truly troubling.
In a nutshell - as human beings stand today, unlike the bees, and other creations of God Almighty (who add value to the world), in our case, the world would be a far much better place without us.
Which then brings up another question - if I were to die today, would people feel a huge gap in their Iives, and be sad, or would they celebrate the end of their misery and torment at my hands?
All human beings were wonderfully and fearfully made by our Jehovah God Almighty, in His likeness and image, through Christ Jesus, that we may add great value to this world.
Just like everything else He has created in His infinite wisdom and love, our presence here should be a blessing to others, more than it is to ourselves.
Our primary goal in life ought not be self-satisfaction, or self-aggrandizement - but rather, to uplift the lives of those around us.
The fruit tree seldom benefits from the fruits it bears - but, they serve as nutrition and sustenance for other creatures - whilst, the tree itself is provided life from God, through the soil, water and sunlight.
We, as human beings - as similarly made by the same God who created the fruit tree - our main focus is for our lives to bear fruit that nourishes and develops other's lives, and make the world a better place.
We were never created so that we make other people's lives miserable, neither were we placed on Earth to fulfill our own selfish ambitions, which merely benefit and serve ourselves.
Each and every one of us needs to introspect, and ask themselves - "If I were to die today, would my death leave the world a worse place, or would the world actually become a better place for those I would have left behind, or worse still, would my death not even leave an impact at all?"
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and political commentator. Please feel free to contact him on WhatsApp/Call: +263715667700 / +263782283975, or Calls Only: +263733399640, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
