People will go to great lengths to protect the things they love most. They buy locks for their homes, alarms and security systems, and have something in their house to defend themselves in the case of an unwelcomed intruder enters their home.

Those who live in fire danger areas build fire breaks around their home to ensure the fire goes around the home rather than through it. When they are warned of a potential fire coming through their area, they will do whatever is needed to protect their home – turn on sprinklers, wet their roof, clean up loose and dead debris, etc.

Those who live in hurricane areas purchase insurance in the case that a hurricane comes through and destroys their home and personal belongings. They even prepare their home when warned of a coming hurricane by covering doors and windows and sandbagging the area around their house. The same applies to those who live in flood zones. They will purchase specific insurance in the case of a flood coming through their area. When they are warned of a coming flood, they build sandbag walls to protect their house and belongings as best as they can.

When looking to buy a car, people are concerned with the safety features and durability of the car. They seek to purchase a vehicle that will not crumple under severe impacts, but rather protect the individual side. They want a strong, durable, long lasting car so that they and their riders are safe no matter where they go or what might happen.

People will go to great lengths to ensure their property and the things or people they love will be protected and safe. Even if nothing happens, they will still prepare for the “just in case.” However, when it comes to the one thing that we all posses and will continue for eternity, many refuse to do anything to protect it. I am of course talking about our soul.

People want to protect the things they can see – their home, belongings, family, etc. When it comes to the things they can’t see, they either deny it’s existance or convince themselves that it doesn’t matter or has no significant meaning. What’s fascinating is that people will go to great lengths to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their belongings from hypothetical situations that may or may not happen, but will do nothing to protect themselves from what is guaranteed – death.

Death is guaranteed. The physical will end one day for us all. What we fought so hard to protect will remain here while we cease to exist. But what have we done to protect ourselves from what comes after death?

This is where my atheist friends will come out and say that nothing happens after death, so why bother? To which I will reply, then why did you purchase all the insurance and security if there was never a guarantee that something might happen? Many are so sure of what they don’t see, but protect them selves from hypotheticals in a life they can see. Isn’t death  something that is real and can be seen? Isn’t what happens after death a hypothetical of what we can’t see? Why then are there so many in this world that are so sure of the unknown, but are unsure of the hypotheticals in this life and are willing to protect themselves from them?

People tend to hold on tightly to the physical and perishable, but hold on loosely, or not at all, to the one thing that is imperishable. People are willing to be careless with their soul, but will go to great lengths to protect their life and the objects in it from physical harm or destruction that may or may not happen. Why then, is the soul less important than the inanimate objects and and loved ones we have in life?

Death is guaranteed, a fire isn’t. Death is guaranteed, a hurricane isn’t. Death is guaranteed, a robbery isn’t. Death is guaranteed, a severe car accident isn’t. Why not protect yourself from what is guaranteed just as much as you do from those things that are not guaranteed?

This is not a fear tactic. This is a, “consider the what ifs.” We have all been warned of what happens after death. Some have denied its truth, some have disregarded it as fairy tales, and some have taken it to heart.

If you were told that in the coming days and great fire would sweep through the area in which you live, would you take precautions or ignore the warning? If you were told that a flood will be coming through your area, would you take precautions or ignore the warning? If you were told that dangerous individual with ill intent is in your neighborhood, and your family is at risk, would you take precautions or ignore the warning? Mind you, all of these are hypothetical and are not guaranteed. You have just been warned of what might happen. Do you take precautions out of fear, or do you take precautions to protect what you love?

Dr. Kristopher Wallaert is an educator in Mountain Home, Idaho. He enjoys being outdoors – hiking, camping, and hunting. He also finds peace in taking care of their property. He and his wife have been happily married for over 14 years. Together they have four phenomenal children – three girls and one boy. He holds a doctorate in education with an emphasis in leadership and administration. Kristopher has a yearning to be a man of God for his family, and to be a good example for his children. You can find more about Kristopher in Selfless-Leadership.

Feature Image Created by Andy Oldham usiing DeepAi