Strongly believing

This is an actual sign on an actual cage at the wild animal park here in our city (notice the way that "believe" is misspelled).  I was thinking about this sign yesterday, and it's implications.  Beyond the obvious humor of it, I was thinking about how "strongly believing in Rebirth" (with a capital "R") affects the way that I live.  I should still restrain myself from stupidity and not climb over the short cage wall at the wild animal park, but I am free to do the things that I would not otherwise do if I thought this life was all that there was.

I would never move to another country, for example, in the prime of my life, making it impossible to share the day-to-day with the ones that I love.  I would never leave my parents in one of the last decades of their vitality so that I am left reading their blog about their bike rides in other states and their outings with their two "remaining" grandkids.  If I didn't believe that I will have an eternity with my parents, I would still be in the USA.  If I didn't believe that my sons will spend millions and millions of years hanging out with their uncles, we would be there now.  If I didn't believe that Sue Sue will once again pat my leg and call me "sugar," I would have bit the bullet and flew back for her funeral this month so that I could say a final goodbye.  But there are no final goodbyes for those who believe in the One who conquered death forever on the cross.  We are free to give these short lives up for the purpose of helping more people, across the globe, join the ranks of those who will live forever with the King of Kings.

Changes everything, doesn't it?