Every December, World Magazine publishes a list of famous people who died during that year. Perusing the list reminded me of Solomon’s somber words in Ecclesiastes. “This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.” (Ecclesiastes 9:3) Note the phrase, “madness is in their hearts while they live?” In other words, because they have no hope of anything beyond the grave, they must live it up while they’re here. The New Living translates the last line this way: “They choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.” How tragically sad that is.

World’s list is interesting when you consider why these people were famous. There were famous rockers like Greg Allman, Chuck Berry, and Tom Petty who passed in 2017. Famous actors and actresses who died included Erin Moran, David Cassidy, Powers Boothe, Mike Conners, Barbara Hale, John Heard, Roger Moore, Jim Nabors, Don Rickles, Jerry Lewis, Harry Dean Stanton, Della Reese, Bill Paxton, Adam West and the wonderful Mary Tyler Moore just to name a few.

Seeing the faces and remembering the lives of the departed gives us pause to consider how one wishes to be remembered.

Among the famous athletes listed were Don Baylor, Jim Bunning, Bernie Casey, Bobby Doerr, Larry Granthan, Roy Halladay, Ara Parseghian, Frank Broyles, and one of my very first football heroes Y.A. Tittle. Television and News personalities like Roger Ailes, Alan Colmes, Monty Hall, and Joseph Wapner were also among the mentioned dead.

World also listed some who were known for their own unique notoriety. Manuel Noriega, former dictator of Panama, known for corruption and cruelty, died in May. The world’s wealthiest woman, Liliane Bettencourt, worth over $42 billion, passed in September. Hugh Hefner, notorious founder of Playboy magazine, also died in September. Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the infamous Roe v. Wade decision that forced states to legalize abortion, died in February. Cult leader and infamous murderer Charles Manson died in November.

Finally, on a more positive note, some were listed who had made a name for themselves in terms of righteous causes. Peter Berger, Lutheran sociologist who is known for his famous response to the “God is Dead” movement. Doug Coe, who was influential in leading the National Prayer Breakfast, died in February. Helen DeVos who championed Christian education and children’s causes passed in October. Her daughter, Betsy DeVos, currently serves as our nation’s secretary of education. Nabeel Qureshi, former Muslim turned Christian apologist and who served as an evangelist with Ravi Zacharias passed away at the young age of 34 after a yearlong battle with cancer.

The Christian, unlike those who “choose their own made course,” lives with purpose and dies in hope of the glory of God. Yet, seeing the faces and remembering the lives of the departed gives us pause to consider how one wishes to be remembered. Most of us will die without acclaim or the world’s notice. But, rest assured, no one dies without the Lord’s notice. Our times are in his hands and he determines every person’s appointment with death. And as we enter a New Year let us endeavor by the grace of God to live in faithfulness to Christ, doing our best for him, and striving to live so as to be ready at any moment to hear that “well done, good and faithful servant.”