Twenty-five Million Reasons

Twenty-Five Million Reasons

A professional football player with a penchant for outrageous behavior takes too many pills and becomes unresponsive. The authorities are called, and police reports categorize the incident as an attempted suicide. Later his publicist (the same woman who called 911 on his behalf) argues that he never tried to take his own life. Why? “He has twenty-five million reasons why he should be alive,” she answers, referencing the player’s annual salary.^a

If this famous athlete had twenty-five million reasons to live, does it follow that a penniless person has zero? Or would an infant, whose earning power is undetermined, have no reason to keep breathing another day? Is there anyone who believes that money inspires us to live life—or makes it more precious than it already is? And who needs twenty-five million reasons to live, anyway? Isn’t one good reason enough?

God has given you another day. There’s your reason.

Today I saw a combination of colors in the afternoon sky I’d never seen before. That’s reason enough for me to want to taste tomorrow. A dear friend reports that her baby daughter has begun to smile. I haven’t witnessed it yet, but I hope to very soon. I washed fresh blackberries today, and tomorrow morning I may taste a handful of them, standing at the kitchen sink and looking at the sunrise. As I do, a song might come on the radio that I’ve never heard before but won’t be able to forget. I might see an old friend or meet a new one who will enrich my life forever. The possibilities of any day are endless and fine, and I am hungry to taste them.

Now that I think of it, I am richer than a crazily compensated NFL star. The one who is my reason for living never stops making arguments on life’s behalf, and only a fool would get bogged down by sheer arithmetic when there is even a sliver of daylight left to savor. So what are you waiting for? Breathe. Say thank you. Embrace the Giver and the gift . . . and live.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws.

Deuteronomy 30:15-16, NIV

^a “Owens Fires Publicist Etheredge,” ESPN, January 9, 2007, http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2725205.