Death Hurts

[Sorry for the messy writing...]

Death comes to everyone at some point in his/her life. Sounds pretty obvious, right? But maybe it's not so obvious to certain people. I'm thinking specifically of ambitious people (the good and the bad) - people like Hitler, Pilgrims, Mandela, Chavez... even Jesus! All these people (in their own ways) were/are ambitious people. All seemed to want to live or exist in some form eternally - not always a bad trait...

My point: 

The news is all over Chavez these days... his recurring cancer and unending treatments. The current news says that he's in an induced coma, but that his condition is so bad that his family has been encouraged to think about the benefits of "unplugging" him. This is what a Spanish newspaper says about the entire situation... (it's in Spanish). 

I'm struggling slightly with strong comments i hear all over the media and also in the Christian world that he (Chavez) "got what was coming to him." That he's been so oppressive to his people and an evil socialist/communist,  that his reward could.never be good - eventually he'd meet his downfall. And perhaps he has... But that's not my point. 

My point is that, apart from being who he is, Chavez is a man who is terminally ill. He is a man who knows that something is eating at his body and that eventually it could get the best of him and he could die. He is undoubtably afraid, anxious, lonely, etc. His family is drawing close to him in his "final hours" to offer comfort and presence. 

Comfort? HE doesn't deserve comfort! He's done so much harm to so many people! the whole world is pretty much holding its breath awaiting the news of his death in order to celebrate. 

My thoughts are pulled to the book of Matthew chapter 5 vs. 45. These are Jesus' words in a section entitled "Love for Enemies"...

"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

God is God to ALL... to those who do His will and to those who live their entire lives persecuting the faithful. Just because Chavez has apparently done no good, he is not far from God's grace... therefore i mourn for him and for his grieving family who will be losing a father, brother, uncle, son... it doesn't matter who you are or what you've done... death hurts.