Sting of Death

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 54-57

Landon ducked as a bee buzzed by, barely missing his head. He watched the bee settle on a flower before moving on.

“That bee was so close to your head, he almost gave you a buzz cut!” Dad said with a smirk.

Landon didn’t laugh. He had something else on his mind. “Dad, can I ask you something?” He hesitated, and Dad waited quietly. “Grandma died months ago, but I’m still sad about it,” Landon said at last. “Is that bad?”

“No, it’s natural to feel sad.” Dad put an arm around Landon’s shoulders. “Death is not how it’s supposed to be—it came when sin entered the world. But for Christians, death is not the winner. Even though we’re sad, we can take comfort in knowing that we don’t have to be afraid of death because Jesus defeated it when He rose from the dead.” Dad thought for a moment. “Why were you afraid of that little bee that flew by a minute ago?” he asked.

“Because I could have gotten stung!” said Landon. “That hurts!”

“Yes, and death hurts too—like how we’re hurting after Grandma died,” said Dad. “But do you have any reason to fear that bee like Ellis would?”

Landon shook his head. Ellis, his older brother, was severely allergic to bees. “Ellis could die if he was stung by a bee and didn’t go to the hospital right away,” Landon said. “It would still hurt if I was stung, but I wouldn’t have to worry about dying from it.”

“Exactly,” said Dad. “You have no reason to fear bees the way Ellis does, and Christians have no reason to fear death the way the world does. It still hurts when death takes away someone we love, but it can’t take away the eternal life we have in Jesus.”

“So it’s okay to feel sad because I miss Grandma?” Landon asked.

“Of course,” said Dad. “Even though Grandma is with Jesus and we know we’ll see her again, it still hurts not to have her with us. But one day, Jesus will come back to get rid of sin and death for good, and those who trust in Him will be raised to life and never feel the sting of death ever again.”

–A. J. Schut

How about you? Do you feel sad because someone you love died? It’s okay to be sad because death stings when it takes away those we love. But even though death hurts, Christians have no reason to be afraid of it. Jesus has conquered death, and one day He will raise everyone who trusts in Him from the dead to live with Him forever! (To learn more, go to https://keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Today's Key Verse: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (NIV) 1 Corinthians 15:55

Today's Key Thought: Jesus has conquered death