Dying For Monetary Reasons

January 5:
The headline said, “Last Year for Estate Tax Break; Cheaper to Die in 2010.” What an interesting picture. Dying for monetary reasons. I know that people will die in 2010 but I don’t think that there will be many who will choose to pass on just to save a few bucks. Most of us just aren’t that organized.

But, the headline got me thinking about “buying the farm” (so to speak) and about what would motivate me to pay that particular price.

Like a lot of people, I have always liked to think that I would give my life for my family or my country or my savior. But, these are all statements that are rarely tested. And we make them knowing (in the back of our heads) that no one is likely to call us on them.

So, how do I know? I guess I won’t until the opportunity presents itself. But,if we are going to pray for that opportunity just remember that there is some advantage to doing it in 2010.

Let me take this conversation in a slightly different direction.

In the early church giving your life for Jesus was considered a great honor. The Greek word “martoos” (μάρτυς) means “witness.” It is where we get the English word “martyr.” To give your life for Jesus was the greatest witness you could make to your love for Him.

Again, we live in a culture where opportunities for martyrdom don’t pop up very often (not like we’d want that to change) but opportunities for “witness” are almost endless. And most of them (at least on the surface) don’t seem to be that huge of a sacrifice. I can give some of my precious time to help feed someone who is hungry. I can give some of my precious money to someone who needs it more than I do. I can give some of my talent to benefit someone other than me. It’s not like dying, but it may be more significant to me and mean more to the people I help than my death ever would.

The reality is that dying (whether there’s a tax break involved or not) is probably easier than giving away our time, our money or our talent. That’s what makes them so valuable.