“Dying is Even Better”

Why was Steve Jobs’ death such an international event?—Because Steve Jobs was one of the gods of Silicon Valley, worshipped for his ‘superhuman’ feats. But Steve Jobs knew he was no god; he was a Buddhist. And Steve Jobs made it clear he did not welcome death (Buddhism offers no guarantee of happiness in the hereafter). Upon his demise, Steve believed he would go on into a never-ending circle of reincarnation to receive whatever his karma had earned him. Steve Jobs departed this life with the fear of uncertainty.

The uncertainly of the afterlife is a reason people fear death.  But by His death and resurrection, Jesus has delivered us from the fear of death. (Heb. 2:14-15), which is now replaced with the hope of heaven!  (Shouldn’t we all have our bags packed—ready to go?)  Jesus promised His soon-to-be grieving disciples to take comfort upon his departure that He was preparing a place for them! Every day we are one day closer to being with Him forever.

Knowing a better life awaited him, Paul said “the human eye has never seen nor the ear heard the heavenly wonders God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Unlike Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, or any other ‘ism,’ we live and die with certainty: “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Phil. 1:21).