Just Me and My Shadow - Free Newsletters

I recently heard an interesting story on the radio about an 80-year-old man from New Jersey who drove to the local funeral home. The man had chronic heart disease and diabetes, but he wasn't going to the funeral home to make funeral arrangements. He told his wife he wanted to drive himself to the funeral home and die there because he didn't want to bother anyone. And that's exactly what he did.

As I listened to this man's story, I felt an inexpressible sense of sadness. I was horrified that this poor man felt so disconnected and so alone that he didn't want to ask even his own wife to take his body to the funeral home! This was a case of rugged individualism taken way too far.

God creates human beings to live and breathe within communities of fellow human beings. He knows that what's best about us cannot manifest itself in a vacuum. We need others to bring out the best in us.

In a world where there are too many people living and dying alone—even in the midst of large cities or large churches—we need to make an extra effort to form inclusive communities that better image the grand spectacle of heaven. We owe it to God—and to other people like the old man from New Jersey.

— Matt Donnelly, for the ChristianityToday.com staff