#YOLO – Don’t waste your life
#YOLO has been a popular hashtag for the past several years. Along the same lines as the Latin “carpe diem” (“seize the day”), it is a call to live life to its fullest extent, even embracing behavior which carries inherent risk. This became popular saying in 2012 and although many people are sick of seeing the hashtag, it’s still used on Instagram and has been nearly 32 million times in the last 8 years. More than a saying, it has become a creed for those who throw caution to the wind and choose to live in a way that feels good today, regardless of the consequences.
It is exciting to think of living free, following your heart, not worried about the outcome. But if you’re like me, once your mind starts on that frame of thinking, you suddenly realize that there are a great many things that might happen in the course of following your heart that you wouldn’t want to deal with. Suddenly, it’s less exciting to me. But if all I am considering is the immediate consequences, I have lost sight of the bigger picture. The truth is, we do only live once. And then our life is over. Then what? Living in a way that doesn’t take eternity into account would be far more tragic than a short lived negative outcome. Psalm 103: 15-16 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. Psalm 144:4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. Our lives are short when you consider time. It’s a blip on the timeline of history. In addition to that we don’t know how many days we have been given to walk this earth. Only God knows that.
Each day we have been given is a gift. Because I cannot control which day will be my last, I should cherish each one. Even the hard ones. Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. This is part of a prayer Moses prayed. His desire, is to understand life is short – numbered. But rather than being reckless, Moses wants to use his days in the best way possible so he is asking for wisdom regarding his days. It may seem like, life is short and unknown so what does it matter if I live recklessly? Again, it’s less about today and more about eternity. I have been given one life to live. There is only one of each of us here on this earth. There is a purpose that we each have for the time we have been given. But if all I live for is today, then when that tomorrow comes and I am standing before God how can I account for the gift of my days if I wasted them just living in the casually moment?
That isn’t to say that we can enjoy life and celebrate each day doing unique and exciting things but to live with reckless abandon, that is the problem. When we walk outside God’s plan for our lives, it’s called sin. You see, as the Creator, He has determined the right way for His creation to live and move. When we stand against that or don’t take His will into consideration, we walk in sin. The Bible is very clear on sin. Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin=spiritual death. We can stand against God and live in sin but it will catch up to us and once our time is over, there is no second chances. Scripture never shows us a plan B after death. We have this life to choose. The second part of that verse moves me. God gives us a free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Belief in Jesus is the key to that free gift equaling eternal life. But what does that mean, “believing in him”? Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. John Piper, in his article What must someone believe in order to be saved says, “For salvation you must believe that instead of working for this salvation, Jesus has already done what needs to be done. We receive it. “As many as received him, who believed in his name, he gave them the right to become the children of God (John 1:12).” So I think sin, God, cross and faith. That is the summary, the core of truth surrounding those four things.”
Each day we are to understand that our days are numbered. And in that we are called to live with purpose and passion for the day. Even if today is laundry day. Because everything we do can be filled with gratitude and awareness of God’s will for our lives. Days I do laundry remind me that I have been given a family to love and cherish. We have been blessed with clothes. Often more clothes than we need so we are able to give to those who have less. I can choose to pray for each family member as I fold the laundry. Everything in my daily life can have purpose when I live knowing my days are numbered and my God has given me breath today to bless those around me. Matthew 6:19-21 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where have I placed my heart’s trust? In quick pleasures or quality treasures that will never fade?
So can I live thinking about today at all? God loves us. He delights in our desire to live daily lives tuning into Him. It isn’t about a list of dos and don’ts. It’s about resting in His love and trusting in Him to lead us. He made a way. He has given the free gift already. He wants to give you salvation. He wants to give you a greater purpose than #yolo. You are valuable. Your life has meaning. You have been chosen for greater things. Don’t waste your life living for the moment.
