King of Pop (Part 2)

On the day the pop icon died, Yahoo! got five times its usual traffic, its breaking story on people rushing Michael Jackson to the hospital emerging “as the ‘highest clicking story’ ever with 800,000 clicks within 10 minutes.” (Sources for all quotes: http://inquirer.net/) Queries deluged Google News that at first the Internet giant “initially mistook it for an automated attack” (a computer virus onslaught). Other than the mad rush to secure his estate, people sought to pin blame on who or what caused his seemingly premature death. A former nurse claimed Jackson struggled with insomnia and, early this year, begged her for a powerful, intravenous sedative. She quoted Jackson as saying, “I just want to get some sleep. You don’t understand. I just want to be able to be knocked out and go to sleep.” She refused, knowing its fatal side-effects. “I told him this medication is not safe. I told him—and it is so painful that I actually felt it in my whole spirit—‘If you take that you might not wake up.’” There’s no official autopsy report yet. So speculations are up for grabs. But friends of Jackson admitted that “the singer had easy access to powerful prescription drugs and they may have contributed to his death.” And now more than a week later, tears are still flowing torrentially. One avid fan wailed, “We’ve lost an international treasure. He was the last of the great song and dance men. This is up there with Princess Diana.” Another cried out, “It’s so shocking. Because you think someone like Michael Jackson will live forever, like Peter Pan.”

Yes, we will live forever, yet not in this life but in the hereafter. But, while here, we are to live for eternity. We are to focus on the things that matter in eternity, not waste our lives on things that will only matter in this life. Ephesians 5:15-17 tell us, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.” (Amplified Bible) I am not just talking about serving in the church. We must share the Gospel, serve the needy, stand up for what is right, soothe the wounded and the sick… in other words, we are to serve as the church to the world.

Brethren, go for eternal impact.