Dear Death-Bed John (Date: Unknown)
So you're pretty much done huh? I mean, I've always mentioned how when any of us wakes up another day it's because God isn't finished working on us or through us yet. So He must be done with you now. What's that like? Do you feel satisfied with the life you've lived? Do you feel like you can say that you have "fought the good fight"? Did the things you've done have a purpose other than self-preservation? Did you have an impact on the world around you? Because fighting the good fight takes work. Fighting the good fight takes energy. And most of all, fighting the good fight takes "goodness." I wonder how much goodness you demonstrated. We're all fighting for something during our lives. I hope you chose to fight for goodness and love and people your whole life. Because the good fight is worth fighting. And you can only fight it with good deeds and good work. Not with anger or violence or ignorance. I hope you fought the good fight, John.
I also hope you can say that you have "kept the faith." And I'm not talking about the kind of faith that just made sure you were in church every Sunday. But the kind of faith that James writes about. The kind of faith that demands action. I guess that's really the only kind of faith that there is when you think about it. Faith that doesn't inspire you to move isn't really faith at all is it? It's just a set of phrases and proverbs and religious sounding chatter that make us sound deeper and more profound than we really are. Because if we really do believe the things we say we believe then it should come pouring out of our lives. It should influence and affect every decision we make. We can't claim to be an environmentalist and drive a Hummer. Likewise we can't claim to have faith in Jesus and his teachings and still hate people. At the core of the life of Jesus is the unwavering belief that people are worth dying for. Part of me hopes that's the reason you're on your "death-bed." That you're giving you life for a person or people. Did you keep the faith, John?
Finally John, I hope that you "finished the race." I hope you didn't give up and walk off the track before you got to the finish line. The race is exhausting, I know. I'm still running it. But I have to believe that in the end, when I cross the finish line, all the effort will be worth it. The race is long true, but it's the only one worth running. And I never have to run alone. I wonder if you ever took off on your own. I know it's a long race and sometimes it seems like it would be so nice to just sit in the shade and watch the other runners. But both of us know that if we did that we would always wonder what it would feel like to cross that finish line. We weren't born to be spectators. We were born to run. So I hope you finished the race, John. I hope you know what it feels like to cross the finish line. I'd ask what it does feel like but even if i did you wouldn't be able to describe it. So if you'll excuse me John, I have a race to run. And I think I just got my second wind. See you at the finish line John.
Truly,
-John Hall (Age 31)
P.S.
No one was born to be a spectator. We were all born to run. So I hope you inspired and encouraged others to run the race with you. Because the race is easier when others are there running along side of you. I hope we cross the finish line knowing that people are running because of us.
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