The world was shocked and saddened on Sunday afternoon, January 23rd, when we got the word that NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash along with 8 other people, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
The 5-time NBA champion earned numerous awards, medals, and honors during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He even brought home the gold from the Olympics games before his recent retirement in 2016.
As heartbreaking as this loss is, it is a reminder to us about three of the most important truths about life.
Life isn’t Predictable.
Kobe was only 41 and his daughter was a mere 13. It’s always shocking when a life is tragically cut short. It’s easy to take our life for granted and think we’ll live forever. But James, the brother of Jesus, said, “Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (James 4:14) The truth is, we don’t know how long we will live. None of us are promised tomorrow. So, we need to love each other well and make the most of every day we’re given as a gift from God.
Life is Precious.
How do you determine what an item is worth? The value is set by what someone is willing to pay for it. If you want to know what you’re worth, you don’t have to look any further than the cross of Jesus. Because on the cross, Jesus paid the price to buy you with His life. Paul wrote, “God paid a great price for you.” (1 Corinthians 6:20) God paid that price because that’s how much your life matters to Him.
Life is Purposeful.
There are two most important days in your life: the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born. God created you for a reason. He made you so He could love you. The way to fully receive God’s love is to find your life in Jesus. In John 10:10, Jesus tells us, “My purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life.” Jesus came into the world to give His life so that your life can have meaning and purpose.
The way you live today makes a difference in how you will live for eternity. When you choose to live for Jesus today, you can know that you will live with Him forever. He promises that one day, everyone who is a part of His forever family will be together again.
In the meantime, our hearts and prayers go out to Kobe’s family and all those who are experiencing the pain of loss. Let’s be sure to hold on to our hope in Jesus and help remind people what matters most in life.