Expendable

Have you ever wondered why the best die young? Who of us hasn't thought the same thing when we learn of the death of a young Christian with such potential when a fellow believer lives on to wreck his testimony, the reputation of the local church, and the cause of Christ? Having been a pastor now for nearly fifty years I have had nearly a lifetime to ponder the word "expendable" in relationship to not only individuals, but dreams and desires, hopes and wishes, events and expectations. This concept of expendability came home to me years ago when I learned that my grandfather, on my mother's side, had a brother who died of an illness in his early twenties after only spending a year on the mission field in Peru! Over the portal to a special room that celebrates those that died young in the Hall of the Faithful in Heaven is found, I believe, this superscription: "EXPENDABLE"! I would like to share with you some of the biblical portraits that are hanging from those celestial walls, for if you are looking for the answer to the question I asked, I have come to believe it can only be found in the Bible.