–– Joe Shoko
On a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, the unthinkable happened. Flamboyant Zimbabwean tycoon Wicknell Chivayo tragically perished in a helicopter crash alongside his wife and 4 others. The larger-than-life character, who was known for his collection of supercars, frequent business travels out of the country, links with presidents across the continent, and casually dishing out luxury cars to socialites and his associates, suddenly found himself faced with the reality of giving an account of his life to his Maker—the God who created heaven and earth.
The fall of this centimillionaire (net worth of $100 million) who was commonly known as ‘Sir Wicknell’ sent shockwaves across Southern Africa, which had people commenting on his political ties, his lifestyle, his demeanour, and most notably, his wealth.
The Bible has a lot to say on the topic of wealth. The doctrine of common grace teaches that wealth is granted by God to whomever He pleases, in the measure He chooses, for His own purposes and glory. The Apostle Paul and the psalmist were of one mind when they contemplated how the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10; Psalm 62:10). Considering this latter reality about evils brought about by the love of money, it is thus unsurprising to observe that we live in a world that increasingly glories in glamour, pomp, and wealth.
Poverty is something that is to be shunned, satirised, and scorned with our whole being, and the rush for gold is to be pursued like a deer panting for water. The writer of Ecclesiastes captured the unsatisfied nature of the human heart by pointing to the fact that money and income are never enough.
This is precisely why many continue to chase after it every day despite having it in abundance. Money is never enough in the sense that no amount of it can bring the ultimate fulfilment that we are to find in Christ, and it cannot save on the day of death. No matter how rich or wealthy one is, they can never be buried with however much wealth they accumulated over the years, and their wealth itself cannot keep the last enemy—death—away.
Human life is fragile; like vapour or mist, it is here for a moment and gone the next. Like grass, it sprouts and seems healthy when watered, but when the scorching heat burns, it withers away.
What lessons can we learn from the demise of one whose renown rose to levels where his church members began to call him ‘Mukuru Wemazuva’ (Ancient of Days)?
1. In the prime of life, God can take you
Luke 12:20 reads, ‘But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ Youthfulness can intoxicate the heart so much that one can begin to think that surely, death is far away from them. Money can blind us to the chilling reality that, in the midst of our revelling, God can, without announcement, snatch us out of this world.
Men look at the elderly, the frail, the poor, and the sickly as those who will surely not be long for this world. All the while, gazing upon the wealthy, beautiful, mighty, and gifted as robust baobab trees impervious to death and disease. Many in the prime of their lives live as though the end is nowhere in sight. This is a warning to us all, not to boast about tomorrow, as we are told in Proverbs 27:1 that we do not know what tomorrow will bring.
2. Live in preparation for departure
Many do not ponder the afterlife. Ironically, they use all manner of devices to avoid thinking about it. Some people prepare for death by signing up for funeral policies so that their bodies are given a ‘fitting send-off’, but they scarcely prepare for their souls’ arrival before their Maker. Though hell has been minimised by media, educational institutions, and our fallen hearts, the truth is that it is a place whose reality is discovered too late.
While natural revelation and our God-given consciences show that there is a God, people are not moved to seek, find, know this God, be reconciled to Him, and live in accordance with His will. As the clock ticks on, there are ultimate questions to ask. As the 19th-century hymnwriter, Elisha Hoffman put it:
“Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”
3. Live for God, not people
One of the frightening realities of life is how easily we can become consumed with the approval of other people. We can spend our lives seeking admiration, accumulating things that impress others, and measuring our worth by how people respond to us. Yet death has a way of reminding us that the applause of people is temporary. If we regularly considered this reality, we might find fewer people living for the approval of others and more people seeking to please God in all they do. The one who lives to please God can face eternity with confidence, knowing that their eternal abode is secure in Christ, regardless of what people may say or think of them.
Conclusion
The sobering truth is that none of us knows how much time we have left. That is why the most important question is not how much we have accumulated, how many people know our name, or how impressive our lives appear to others. The question is whether we know Christ. Life is short, eternity is long, and death is certain. So while we have breath, we must seek the Lord, trust in Christ, and live faithfully for His glory. As C.T. Studd famously put it, “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”
The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.