Discussion on meaning and beauty in life February 11th, 2016 Daniel Butt feeling thoughtful. February 10 at 9:13pm · Swift Current, SK, Canada We live in a Post-Christian, secular age that has cheapened, dehumanized and commodified human life. My question, that has been heavy on my heart, is this: What can we do as individuals (working within the context of society) to make life as beautiful (and meaningful) as possible in the context of those who are suffering and dying, so that suicide and euthanasia are rejected by those who are most likely to want them? LikeComment Seen by 43 Laurel J. Davis likes this. Comments Tim White Abide in the vine. There never are formulas to combat spiritual problems. Christ has a beautiful way of shining through us and out shining the darkness, but only if we just abide in the vine and trust that He is shining through us. Like · Reply · 1 · February 10 at 9:26pm Daniel Butt Hi Tim, thanks for your answer, although I don’t know if it actually answers my question. What are you referring to as a ‘spiritual problem?’ I’m assuming when you use the metaphor of ‘Abiding in the vine’ your referencing the outflow of what ‘abiding’ actually looks like (i.e., the fruit of a transformed character and/ or fruitfulness in our witness). If so, I would be interested to know how and in what ways the Christian’s character and transformed witness could make life as beautiful as possible, in the context of those who are suffering and dying, so that those who might be inclined to embrace it would actually reject suicide and euthanasia. I’m thinking in practical terms. You and I have a life giving connection to Christ. How do we now mirror it, specifically, to those in the context of the question (those who are suffering and dying). If this is not what your referring to, then I’m not sure how it pertains to the question. Like · Reply · February 10 at 10:25pm · Edited Jesse Mcphaill “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-21). I have many times where my life seems absolutely meaningless and very seemingly unbearable. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). By singing and making melody in our hearts with the psalms, hymns (praise God for the hymns!), and spiritual songs, and by finding ways to thank God in every situation, we combat true spiritual depression and anguish of heart. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). We must help each other learn that pain and suffering are opportunities to take our eyes off of this passing and fading world, and put them upon Jesus. “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:18). Like · Reply · 1 · February 10 at 10:29pm Daniel Butt Thank you Jesse Mcphaill, for this eloquent answer. I appreciate it because it was knitted together with Scripture. Is it possible to expand? In a secular society there is no meaning to pain and suffering, or is there? In a religious society there is meaning found in pain and suffering, but for those who are not religious, and are secular, how do they find meaning? How do we help them in practical ways? Thanks again. Like · Reply · February 10 at 10:35pm Jesse Mcphaill When I speak with atheists, my goal is to bring them to the realization that there is no meaning apart from God. If someone is near the point of suicide, they must have come to understand that already, and offering them the wonders of Christ in their t…See More Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 2:04pm Write a reply… Tim White I was hoping you could perceive the answer in what I wrote. If you abide in Christ, walking in the Spirit as you trust Christ to guide you, you need not focus on “ways ” to beat this in practical terms. It’s a different way of life. And it just happens. Like · Reply · February 10 at 10:30pm Daniel Butt Thanks Tim, but I’m still not making the connection. Like · Reply · February 10 at 10:47pm Write a reply… Deb Whittier Newman I think the most we can do, as Tim said, is live our life as transparently as we can, allowing God’s love to be seen through our actions and our words. That means letting people know that we are praying for them whether they like it or not. It means being there when you’re needed. But most of all, I’ve discovered that prayer is such a mighty weapon. Never stop praying for those who need God’s love. But their ultimate rejection of God, is between them and God. Sometimes it’s just hard to watch. Like · Reply · 1 · February 10 at 10:35pm Gina Cook I don’t see how aside from the transforming power of God’s Word and a biblical perspective can someone desire to suffer another day, even with lots of love from Christians around them. My Grandma comes to mind. She was an unbeliever and wished for death for years, because she was just tired of hurting (nothing serious but just stuff from old age). Us Christian family members poured our lives into hers, loving her and reminding her of many beautiful reasons to keep fighting but her focus never lifted off of herself. She rejected or became “neutral” to the Scriptures we shared with her, she at times became obviously hostile to the Gospel and always turned everything back to her woes. Towards the end she kept saying, “why hasn’t God taken me yet.” We’d say, “because there is very good reason He hasn’t.” After years of praying with her, sharing with her and just trying to love on her as best as we knew how, she asked that question again and I told her “Grandma, be careful what you wish for – you may find out you are not ready to meet God like you think you are.” On the night she died, she became frantic, not like herself and asked Grandpa and a nurse to pray for her then fell into a deep sleep, never to wake up. Her focus had been death for the few years before death actually took her. How sad. When we have the big picture in focus we are able to lift our eyes off of ourselves, our pain, our troubles. The only way to get our focus right is God opening our eyes. Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 1:48pm Sarah Van Baale I agree with Gina. The only way to accomplish what you hope to do is to constantly turn the sufferer’s mind toward Christ. Kind of like when my children are in trouble or upset – I have to physically turn their face to look into my eyes. Our only hope is in Christ. If the person suffering is unable to turn their head and put their focus on Christ, nothing else we do will matter. And everything else we try will be in vain. And how we help these sufferers turn to see Christ is by abiding in Him (as Tim said above). There is no mathematical formula or play book or even over-arching social policy change we can enact. All we can do is obey God and understand that the only answer to this problem is God Himself. Like · Reply · 2 · 20 hrs Daniel Butt Thank you Gina Cook and Sarah Van Baale for your responses. I appreciate your honesty and openness. Like · Reply · 1 · 19 hrs Jed Kramer Using whatever we have received from Christ (material possessions or talents), we should extend his grace to those within our sphere of influence. Jesus met the material needs of people first. Their understanding of a physical need being met enabled them to see the possibility of Christ meeting their spiritual needs as well. As we live closely connected with Christ (abiding in the vine), he will provide opportunities for us to minister to those who are in need (shining his light). He will do the work in their hearts while we obediently act as conduits of his material goodness. I believe our needs as humans include community and purpose in addition the obvious food & shelter. Offering some individuals a sense of community or purpose is as important as offering others food & shelter.
