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s life goes by, we become very busy in the course of normal events. But sometimes the unexpected intrudes into our “normal” lives, with results that could not have been foreseen. These strange but true stories show why it is so important to be prepared to leave this world at a moment’s notice.
Falling Poodle
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1983, a poodle named Cachi fell 13 stories and landed on a 75-year-old woman’s head. Both the poodle and the woman died instantly. A 46-year-old woman who was standing on the edge of a crowd that had stopped in the middle of the street to watch the scene, died instantly when she was hit by a bus. An unidentified man who witnessed both incidents had a heart attack and died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Stampeding Sheep
Sheep are generally docile animals, but not in this case. A farmer’s wife, 67-year-old Betty Stobbs, was killed when she was stampeded by the family’s flock of sheep. As she arrived on her ATV with a bale of hay, the ravenous sheep charged her and knocked her off her ATV and over a 100-foot cliff. Amazingly, she survived the fall. Unfortunately, her bike tumbled in after her, landing on top of her, and crushed her to death.
All Guilty
These stories are not told to entertain, but to bring before us the seriousness of being prepared for the afterlife. When some people mentioned to Jesus a shocking current event that had taken place — Pilate had mixed the blood of some Galilaeans with the Jewish sacrifices to defile them —Jesus made a searching observation. “Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:2-32And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:2‑3)). Jesus was saying that in God’s sight, we are all equally guilty, and that we will all perish in our sins, if we do not repent towards God. The way we die has nothing to do with our standing before a righteous and holy God. Jesus reinforced this with another example. “Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4-54Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4‑5)).
Runaway Toy
Roger Wallace died when he lost sight of the remote-controlled airplane he was flying because it got lost in the sun. Apparently, the 6½-pound plane, which had a 5-foot wingspan, circled around and hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. By the time paramedics got there 30 minutes later, the 60-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. Jerry Knebel, the president of the Southern Arizona Modelers club said, “This was not a common thing. This was just the freakiest of freak accidents that could possibly happen.” He stated that the reason why Mr. Wallace joined the club three years prior to the accident was because he wanted a safe hobby. He had been drag car racing and thought that flying remote-controlled airplanes was by far the safer sport.
Toppling Cactus
In 1982, David Grundman and a friend decided to have some fun shooting saguaro cacti in the Arizona desert. Not only is it illegal to do this, but a fully hydrated saguaro can weigh between 3,200 and 4,800 pounds. Mr. Grundman successfully shot and toppled a 10-foot saguaro, so he was encouraged to shoot at a 26-foot saguaro next. Sure enough, he toppled a four-foot arm of the giant cactus — with the result that the 500-pound prickly arm fell on him and squashed him to death.
One Certainty
Most people die at an old age or from a common disease. One thing is certain, we won’t live on earth forever. If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity? In heaven with the Lord Jesus, or in hell with the devil and his angels? Life is too uncertain and fragile to put this matter off — come to the Lord now, while you are able, and ask Him to help you live for Him. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:9-10,139That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10)
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)).