I came across an interesting obituary notice printed in the London Times. Actually it is an updated version from the original article that appeared in the US in 1998. This obit, ‘Preceded in Death by…’ is even more relevant today. It reads:
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
*Knowing when to come in out of the rain,
*The early bird gets the worm,
*Life isn’t always fair,
*Maybe it was my fault.
Sound Financial Policies and Reliable Strategies ~
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies such as “Don’t spend more than you earn”, and reliable strategies like “Adults, not children, are in charge.”
His health began to deteriorate when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It deteriorated further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or give an aspirin to a student, but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and waned to to have an abortion. My observation: Bullying is a result, and abortions became commonplace.
Common Sense took a beating when a person couldn’t defend himself from a burglar in his own home, and the burglar could sue the victim for assault. My conclusion: Crime is rampant without fear of repercussions or consequences.
Common Sense gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled some in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. My consensus: Lawsuits for any trivial reason become the norm, and getting something for nothing becomes the attitude.
Preceded in death ~
Common Sense was preceded in death by:
*his parents, Truth and Trust,
*his wife, Discretion,
*his daughter, Responsibility, and
*his son, Reason.
My opinion: lines of good moral conduct become non-distinct, and the flood gates of cultural decline are wide open.
Survived by ~
Common Sense is survived by his four stepbrothers,
*I Know My Rights,
*I Want it Now
*That’s Not My Fault,
*I’m the Victim
My conjecture: Self is elevated, greediness breeds unethical measures, society becomes demoralized, life becomes cheap, structure and perimeters are lost, and man becomes a lost soul.
Services for the deceased will be held in every community throughout the country at any time, day or night.
Solution ~
Turn our hearts and attention to the Lord. Pray for God’s grace. Think before we act. Consider the consequences for our actions. We all must give an account.
Test your common sense: You are in a cold, dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp. You only have one match. What do you light first?