James 4:13-17 (NIV)
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this
or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while
and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say,
“If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this and that.”
As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes.
All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought
to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Isaiah 40: 6b-8 (NIV)
All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness
is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.
“You Only Live Once” = YOLO
Ghetto Translations: I’m about to partake in some very ignorant foolery and I’m using this acronym to excuse my reckless behavior.
And so you can go online and see tweets that have a YOLO tag on them, like the one from Daniel who says……Cheating is okay if the excuse is “YOLO.” Or how about his one… “Cops can’t stop 600 kids from having fun. #YOLO.” Another guy, Gavin tweeted this…….”just crossed the road without looking, YOLO.” There are many, many others but the language or behavior make them a little awkward to share with you here this morning.
Robyn Dexter, campus editor of the Eastern Illinois University’s Daily Eastern News, pointed out the recklessness of #YOLO to her fellow students:
“When I see “YOLO” in a tweet, I know instantly that something unintelligent and cocky is going to follow,” she wrote. “There’s nothing wrong with taking risks in life and trying new things. I’m totally for that. But there’s a fine line between living your life to the fullest and making spur-of-the-moment, completely irrational decisions.”
What if we were to turn the “YOLO” concept around and actually take it seriously?
How about this: “Decided to study abroad in Africa in the fall because I realized my life is too sheltered, and I want to be a more well-rounded person. #YOLO”
No way could I judge someone if they said that.
But if you’re telling me you’re getting high before class and “YOLO” is your excuse, I have no pity for you.
Actually, I do. Because if that’s your definition of “YOLO,” you might want to rethink your life priorities.
What does “YOLO” really mean? To me, “YOLO” means being able to look back on your life when you’re 90 and think, “Wow, I really did everything I possibly could with my life.”
I want to travel the world, be fluent in a language other than English, have a job I love, surround myself with people that matter and find a sport I’m actually good at (HA!).