Living each day like it's the last

There is something healthy about this sentiment. Of course, it is impossible to live and love as if it is our last day every day. However, something about the sense of urgency and passion expressed here should give us pause. Jesus summarized all of the commandments of the Bible into two phrases: Love God with everything you have and love your neighbor (to Jesus, that meant everyone) as yourself (Matthew 22).

There is a great urgency and complete surrender in those two phrases which sounds very much like the “last day of my life” kind of focus and urgency.

This kind of focus involves placing the ways of God above our own. It also places the needs of others over our own comfort.

Sports writer Mitch Albom wrote a book about reconnecting with his faith (called “Have a Little Faith”). In the early 2000s, Albom was asked by his childhood rabbi, who was in his 80s and had several health problems, to do the eulogy at his funeral when the time came. Albom was reluctant and more than a bit intimidated. The rabbi spoke as if it would be a matter of months. As things transpired, the rabbi lived another seven years, which meant Albom spent several hours per month with the rabbi over seven years. Along the way, Albom was able to reconnect with his history and faith while learning from a great and devout man.

When the end came for his rabbi, Albom was with him. After years of gathering information for the eulogy and gleaning bits of wisdom along the way, Albom said he had one more question that he was hesitant to ask. “You’d better ask me now,” the rabbi, who knew he was near death, replied. Albom then asked, “How have you been able to show such consistent peace and faith all these years? What is the secret?”

The 90-year-old rabbi smiled a weak smile and said, “Our tradition has the answer to this. It says that a wise person should repent of all of his or her sins and make peace with God the night before he or she dies.”

Albom, looking shocked, replied, “But we don’t know when that will be.”

“Exactly,” said the rabbi.

This is living “as if it’s the last day of our lives.” We keep things right with God and others each day as best we can and then allow God’s peace to shape the way we live for as long as we live.