Well, I have to begin by saying that according to scripture, Matthew 24:36 “But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.” Thus, the folks who have placed this message may be doing it for another reason entirely.
Maybe you have thought about the message if you have seen it. If not, let me ask you, “What IF… the end of the world was coming in May?” What would you want to happen if these were your last months of life? Would it matter to you?
I think this is what the advertisements are meant to evoke, a sense of finitude. Let me tell you if you don’t know… you and everyone you know is going to die. It’s true. Everyone you know and all those you don’t will die. The question is when? Who knows? But what if it were in two months?
Again, let’s look at scripture. Luke 12 tells the story of a man who wants more and more only to find out that his life would end the next day. Do you need God or stuff more? Obviously you need God more than stuff. Lots and lots of stuff reflects a self centered life and lack of concern for others, especially a love for God.
So, maybe the billboards are simply asking us to reflect upon the fact that we will die. We cannot stop the process. And, we need to prioritize our lives as if our lives might end soon.
Are you scared? Worried? Don’t be. Here is the Good News. Death is not the enemy. Death is a passage to meet Jesus. For those who have given our lives to Christ, we know that heaven awaits and this world is only a temporary home. In fact, I look at death as vehicle to transport us to meet God. Many aren’t frightened of death, only how it may come and the life that paves the way to death.
Finally, the Judge who awaits us all is not some traffic court judge. It is our best friend, our loving parent, our Savior who laid down His life for you and me, the Judge is none other than Jesus the Christ. So, if these ads made you think and me write this column, maybe those signs aren’t that bad.
