Age and Health

A man whom I knew died at the age of 45. The first time I met him he appeared to be very strong and healthy. But later, he developed cancer. Despite receiving treatment, his cancer worsened, so much so that he died. In his last days, he had become just a bag of bones. His digestive system had become so bad that he could not eat even simple food. Even drinking water was very difficult for him. When anyone came to meet him to inquire about his health, he would say, “Don’t think about me. Instead, think about yourself! Be grateful that you have a healthy body and that you can eat and drink and walk about. All these things are gifts of God. Whenever He wants, He can take them away, and then nothing will remain with you.”

Man has been given a healthy body. On being born, it appears as if a human being obtains this healthy body automatically. This is why people take it for granted. They never think that this healthy body of theirs is entirely a gift from God, and that, acknowledging this gift, they should bow down before Him.

The same is true about age. As long as man is alive, he thinks that this life will continue forever. He never thinks about his death.

This, without any doubt, is the biggest mistake.

It is this that is the test that all of us are being put to. In this test, people who succeed are those who think more about death than life and who consider everything that they have as a gift of God. It is these people who pass the examination of life. In contrast, those who do not acknowledge God and who have forgotten death fail the examination of life.