Death has no sting!

One day, I was pleasantly surprised when one of our staff handed me a huge photo of myself. The photo is an enlargment of my passport photo which has been submitted to my company. Dr. Dennis Wee has enlarged the photos of all the top agents because these enlarged photos would be placed on the walls of our company.

I smiled and jokingly told my colleagues that the enlarged photo would come in handy for my funeral hearse. "Yee! Choi! Choi! You're so morbid, Choo", exclaimed Mary, our company's comedienne. Anyone could see that Mary was suppressing a smile. "Mary, death is real, and to me there's nothing morbid to talk about going six feet under. By the way, if you guys ever come to my wake, please do not cry and mourn for me, ok. Please come, dressed in purple, pink or yellow. As a Christian, death has no sting!" I continued.

I must admit that the only time I feared death was when I had my parents and three beloved dogs, Kamlette, Kambobo and Kam Xiao Bai with me. I was worried that if I should be called home, then who would look after them. Now that my parents and three pets have passed away, I no longer worry about leaving this world. I need not have to worry about my wonderful older siblings, for they have their filial children to look after them. Hence, I can understand why parents with children will want to remain with their children for as long as possible and vice versa.

I am amazed to have survived 54 years and 25 days on earth. 19,749 days of ups and downs, failures and successes, sickness and health, surprises and disappointments, happiness and depression, richness and poverty, and excitement and boredom!

All these years, I have lived with my two palms wide open. God can place anything in my palms - money, family members, friends and colleagues, dogs, material possessions, etc. He can also take them away any time He wants. I will never clamp my fists and claim everything for nothing belongs to me.

Some 12 years ago, when I was in Melbourne, I heard the lay pastor, Ang Woo York, preaching.
He said, "Christians want to go to heaven; but nobody wants to die". Brace up, Christians, make the utmost use of our time here, but celebrate when we are called home for indeed, death should have no sting for whose who trust in their Maker.

Gan Chau