Dead or Alive?

A few weeks ago, Josef Guzy, a beekeeper in Katowice, Poland, was out near his barn, when he suddenly collapsed. His wife discovered him and called for an ambulance. When the ambulance arrived, the medics checked him over only to find no signs of life. One of the more experienced doctors, who specialized in resuscitation, found that Mr. Guzy was not breathing and had no heartbeat. The body had also cooled.

The 76 year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. The funeral director came to retrieve the body and took Mr. Guzy’s lifeless form to the funeral home. He was placed in a coffin and arrangements were beginning to be made for the funeral.

Mrs. Guzy came by the funeral home, to ask if a necklace that her husband was wearing could be retrieved. The funeral home director was happy to comply and went to the coffin to get the necklace from her husband’s neck.

When the coffin was opened, Darius Wysluchato, the funeral director, reached in to loosen the necklace. When he did, he noticed something odd. Wysluchato said, "I happened to touch the artery in the neck and was totally shocked. I checked it again and shouted, 'There is a pulse.' My assistant checked as well. I leaned in close and I could tell that he was still breathing. My God, it was a miracle,"

Mr. Guzy was rushed to intensive care and was released from the hospital after a few weeks of treatment. He said he is grateful to Wysluchato for finding his signs of life. "The undertaker saved my life. I am so grateful. The first thing I did when I got out of the hospital was take him a pot of honey," he said.

I’m reminded of the time, in Luke 7:11-17, where Jesus happens upon a funeral procession. The only son of a widow had died, and a crowd of people were carrying the man to be buried. Jesus felt her pain, and walked over to the coffin, and raised the son from the dead.

The difference in these two stories, is that the man in the Bible account, was truly dead. Mr. Guzy only seemed to be dead. One man needed a miracle. The other needed to be rescued.

Many times, Christians are a lot like Mr. Guzy. We are alive, but there are no visible signs of it. Jesus wants us to not simply exist during our time on earth, but to be fruitful. Jesus did not lay down His life so we could simply be comfortable and barely living. He wants us to have vibrant, effective lives, as we live out His salvation for others to see. We are to be His hands and feet on earth.

He has called us to be His ambassadors to the world we live in. However, many of us are no more effective for God’s kingdom than Mr. Guzy. We are, for all practical purposes, dead.

When John the Baptist was jailed and coming to the tragic end of his life, he sent people to Jesus to ask if He was indeed the Christ. Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." (Matthew 11:4-6)

Give your life to Christ and allow Him to live through you. When we do this, we find a wonderful, fruitful life that cannot be imagined as we live out His purpose.

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:9-10)