Robin Williams

The famous actor, Robin Williams has died. It is sad when anyone dies, I think. We always wonder what their last moments were like here on earth and what their first moments are like in the hereafter.

I read that Steve Jobs' last words were, "Oh, wow. Oh, wow!" Makes you wonder.

Some die tragically, some heroically. But Robin Williams' death will never be thought of in positive terms. He chose to cast a dark shadow over it. However, he is being hailed beloved, talented and even genius. One person said, "As funny as he was, he's truly one of the all-time greats, he was even better as a person. He was even more fantastic. One of the loveliest, sweetest, kindest guys I've ever worked with. ... It's a major, major loss for everybody."

Those are all very nice things to say about anyone. 

But on August 11th, he added one trait that no one seems to be willing to admit to: murderer.  Suicide is self murder.  Premeditated, ugly, horrifying, merciless murder. And it's a serious sin. Everyone instinctively knows this. Yet those who take their own lives are typically given sympathy.

Matthew 5:21
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

There are so many other ways that a suffering person can utilize the life they've been given. Taking it is a flamboyant, permanent act of tantrum. Famous people have it more difficult because many of the alternatives to self-murder would undoubtedly put a major dent in their pride. But to some, apparently a dent in their pride is worse than death. A staggering thought.

So here are my thoughts...

When a person kills themselves, we think that the motive is usually some form of self-loathing, depression, severe anxiety, inability to cope with the stresses in their life, etc. Sometimes drugs, alcohol or pharmaceuticals are usually involved. Sometimes there is a mental or hormonal imbalance. In some instances, demonic influences.

But if we brush away these circumstances and uncover the heart of the matter, what we will find is sin, guilt, self and pride. Depression, drug abuse and anxiety are merely symptoms of an over-inflated view of SELF.

Let's look at them one at a time:

SIN:
Romans 3:21 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Sin is a deliberate act that crosses the conscience. (Conscience literally means with knowledge. Con = with. Science = knowledge.)  So sin is a willful, intentional act of wrong doing.  God holds each one accountable when they first sin with knowledge.  James 1:14 - But every man is tempted [to sin], when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticedWhich brings us to the next one:

GUILT:
Once sin enters, a person then lives in a continual state of guilt. They have sinned against God and they know it. Guilt is a powerful motivator. It has prompted every religion in the world. Christianity is not a religion, but rather is the gift of God. Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Guilt attempts to salve the conscience. But self-atonement is a futile act in self deception. And an abominable affront to God. (More on that in a minute.)

SELF:
Old number one. Being selfish is very "natural" but it is not Godly. Selfishness always gives way to sin.  There is nothing that will kill a man so soon as having nobody to find fault with but himself.
2 Timothy 3:2-4 - For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy...

PRIDE:
Proverbs 29:23 - A man's pride shall bring him low...We were formed by the hands of God, given his breath of life and sin the first chance we get. We are debtors to whomever we obey. When we sin, we become the "legal" property of Satan, the Prince of this world. But God loved us SO much that he paid our ransom with the highest price he could pay — the shed blood and death of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. With this in mind, what can any of us possibly have anything to boast about?  Absolutely nothing about ourselves. I can only boast of Christ and his shed blood for me. Pride is the mask of one's faults.

So what is a depressed, troubled, seething person to do when faced with the temptation to commit self-murder? 

First of all, they need to repent toward God for salvation. That is number one. There is no hope in this life or the one to come without the cleansing blood of Christ covering you. For those covered in the blood, this earth is the only hell they will ever know. For those who die without receiving the precious sacrifice of Christ, this earth is the only heaven they will ever know.

Secondly, they should make some changes in their lives. Suicide is never the answer!

I thought of ten alternatives to suicide. Chime in the comment section below if you have anymore to add.

  1. Give up your life. And I don't mean end it. I mean give it. Spend it on someone other than yourself. Make it your mission to help someone else, even if it's just one person, achieve all their hopes and dreams. Give it away. 
  2. Join the U.S. Military.  Fight for your country. Go to the front lines. At least if you're killed, it's in the line of duty and not at your own hand.
  3. Become a missionary. If you don't value living your life for yourself, pour it out for others. Let God spend you like a coin in his pocket.  
  4. Move. To a different state, or a different country. Changing where you live brings new scenery, culture and experiences along with a whole new perspective.  
  5. Change occupations. If a job is causing loads of stress, trouble or trauma, change it. No matter how hard you've worked to arrive where you are, give it up. Better to be a happy janitor than a tormented physician, athlete, movie star, politician, etc. 
  6. Downsize.  This is especially pertinent for the wealthy who are in financial crisis. Sell your expensive house, car, etc. Start a clean life. 
  7. Volunteer.  Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, orphanages, etc.
  8. Join the foreign legion.  I know nothing about the foreign legion, but it's old school. It's what people did back in the day when they had no other ideas for utilizing their lives. 
  9. Fly to Iraq. Find a way to help the refugees who fled from being forced into an Islamic state. 
  10. Become a spy.  CIA, FBI, etc.  I don't know if they'll take just anyone. But someone who is at the end of their rope might prove a useful tool.
You get the idea. The point is, quit living for yourself. Find a better life. Make your life better. Join a better cause than Planet You. For someone rich and famous, doing any of these things would require them to give up their pride. That would be totally unfamiliar territory. No telethons and charity drives here. Just total and utter abandonment of their fame and fortune traded in for peace and usefulness. 

But death is final. There is no going back. And it's not our responsibility to call the shots of when it is to be over. When an unrepentant sinner dies, the world grieves the loss of its own.  But when a blood bought saint dies, heaven rejoices at the welcoming of another citizen.

The two worlds are starkly different. They don't blend - even slightly.  It is an all or nothing fight with evil principalities and powers of darkness against the Kingdom of God. Every breath we take is a chance to choose life.  Surrender ourselves to the cross of Christ and his crucifixion. But the exchange is indescribable. Life eternal with the everlasting God. His love for us is greater than we could ever imagine. He loved us so much, he became one of us, so he could save us. Wow. Just WOW. 




Comments

Courtney said…
Hi! I've been meaning to leave a comment for you since your last post. I had a baby last month and can't seem to keep my head above water, lol. I do read your blog regularly, though. Anyway, I've read some articles/ blog posts since Robin Williams' death, and you're right, there's a lot of sympathy. One blogger actually wrote (and I'm paraphrasing here) that she felt sorry for him because he didn't ask for a mental illness and what happened to him on monday was not his fault. You wrote that depression and anxiety are just symptoms of an over inflated love of self. This is so true. I wish more people could see this. I appreciate you speaking TRUTH on your blog. (Btw, the blogger I mentioned above claims to be a Christian.) Also, I liked your 10 things. Some of those I hadn't thought of before. Very practical.
Hope you're having a nice summer,
-Courtney
So nice to hear from you Courtney! CONGRATS on your new little baby!! I'm honored that you'd take the time to comment so thoughtfully here especially considering how busy you must be.
Yes, the "Christian" blogger you quoted sounds so much like what is being promoted so heavily in the secular world. Nothing's anyone's fault anymore. Hmph. In the old days it was, "the devil made me do it!" Taking responsibility for our own choices and behaviors is the first step toward being a mature human being.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and I hope you are getting lots of rest, fluids and relaxation. Now is the time to just bond and get to know your newest relative! :)
Anonymous said…
How wonderful that you've never dealt with severe depression. It is painful and just as much an illness as any other. I hope no depressed person ever comes to you for help.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hey Anonymous, Funny that you would assume something about me that you have no basis in knowledge about. I have most certainly death with depression. Sounds like you have, too. The difference between you and I seems to be that I cried out to God my Saviour and he pulled me up from the miry clay and set my feet upon the rock.
He is bigger than depression.
He is bigger than pain.
He is bigger than illness.
All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Saved from sin. Saved from depression. Saved from Death.
If a depressed person came to me, I would comfort them. If they wept, I would weep with them. And i would point them to the ONLY physician who can cure their "disease" — by whose his stripes we are healed.
Unknown said…
I understand what you have to say about suicide but I don't fully agree. Just as cancer cells will take over and kill you or blood sugar, insulin and glucose all play a part in diabetes, improper serotonin levels will cause death too. Suicide is definitely one of those times where I give a lot of grace and am completely grateful that God is in charge.

One thing that bothers me so much about Christians pointing fingers is that SO MANY of them are on life ending birth control and either they don't care or they don't know. I try to make sure the word is out that the pill, patch, shot, implants and most assuredly the iud cause abortion. You can look up the statistics and medical info I am sure.

Suicide is death resulting from mental illness. Abortion in caused daily by christians using hormonal birth control. A woman on birth control has probably killed 2 children a year. That is worth telling people about too.

I don't know where you stand on this issue but I did not find anything on your blog.Hope you will let your readers know.
God bless, trish
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Trish.

Actually, if you read my post again, you'll see that I do acknowledge that a myriad of problems influence the act of suicide. I just point out that they are ALL linked to sin. Suicide is death resulting from SIN. That is the bottom line.

Unknown said…
All death is the result of sin. When the world was created it was in perfection. The wages of sin is death weather it be cancer, sexual disease, accident, abortion, whatever you die of was caused by your or someone else's sin. That is all I am saying. Why pick on suicide? All death is caused by sin.
Trish,my post addresses that suicide is self-murder and it is a choice.
Yes, the body will eventually die of something and yes, the wages of sin is physical death. But sin does not authorize us to end a life, including our own.

My point is that suicide is not to be pitied or excused away by mental illness. You can be depressed and not sin. You can have a disease and not sin. You can be angry and not sin. You can even unknowingly abort a baby and not sin. Sin is with knowledge.

Job was HIGHLY depressed when he said:
"So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity." - Job 7:15-16
Apparently Job was having suicidal thoughts. But he did not ACT on them. It is what we act on that matters.

What would the world say if Robin Williams had strung someone else up from that noose?? Would they be pitying him the same way?

You see, each life is just as valuable as the next. It is not ours to give or to take, but God's. We will answer to the Lord of all Creation for the things done in the body.

Yes, the world is sick, sinful and cursed. But God calls us to LIVE. Live our lives for Him and let him take care of the rest.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 - Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

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