You've probably seen them too: The quips about how the world's still here. Turns out we get pretty smug when we're right. "No one knows when the end will come." Seriously, how much clearer can Scripture be?
And it's not like we haven't been here before. For example, allow me to remind you of Calvin and Hobbes's take on the end of the world way back in 1986. And perhaps that's the best reminder: Since we don't know, keep working diligently.
But as I read yet another post about how wrong what's-his-name was, I was struck by the rest of the passage people keep quoting. While the idea that not even Jesus knows the time is something important to remember, we've somehow forgotten the reason why Jesus told us He didn't know: Because we're supposed to be ready and keep watch.
Like the boy who cried wolf, I wonder if all these "false alarms" are actually doing us harm. When the day finally does arrive, will we pay attention? If my reaction this last week is any indication: No. I won't. By midnight, I was contentedly fast asleep, certain the end hadn't come. But what if, at that moment, the bridegroom had arrived?
For all the talk this weekend about Matthew 24:36, I didn't hear a single person actually discuss the signs we're told to consider in the immediate context.
Did you?
I love that homeschooling encourages us to discuss these kinds of things with our children. We can go beyond the pop-culture/Christian snide remarks and allow this to be an opportunity to dig into Scripture.
Did your children have any questions about the end of the world? Do you, like me, find yourself thinking, 'I've still got a long time'?
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester
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