Who's in your five?

I recently was privileged to hear a great man of God speak on living your life with a sense of urgency.  Due to severe medical problems, he is now acutely aware that each day is truly a gift from God!

Some might think it a bit unorthodox to use a soundtrack from Tim McGraw along with a section from Paul's letter to Timothy, but on this day - in this room - it made perfect sense.

In case you've never heard of the Tim McGraw song, "Live Like You Were Dying", read a little from the lyrics:

He said: "I was in my early forties,
"With a lot of life before me,
"An' a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
"I spent most of the next days,
"Looking at the x-rays,
"An' talking 'bout the options an' talkin’ ‘bout sweet time."
I asked him when it sank in,
That this might really be the real end?
How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?
Man whatcha do?

An' he said: "I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."

After leading us along the trails of his life, we explored the depths of this man's servant heart - listening intently to alternating stories of triumph and then seeming devastation.  Several doctors have told this man that, as a consequence of his heart condition, he could die at any minute.  But, wait - how are we any different?

As moving as this event was, I was really captured by his close.  As I had sat and listened to this man's multitude of achievements for the Kingdom, I was fascinated by a transitional statement that he made -"If it were not for five people in my life, I would have been derilect as an adult".  He went on to state that we are all a product of both our environment and our relationships, but each of us have a small, select group of influencers in our life that have helped to mold us into the persons we are today.  Think hard.  Who's had the biggest impact in your life?  Now, expand to the next person, then the next, and so on. 

Who's in your five?  Who are the 5 mentors most responsible for who you are today?  What would your thoughts be if you got a phone call saying they had passed into eternity?  Would you have any regrets?  Take care of that today.  Call them, or, better yet, go see them.  Tell them what they have meant to you throughout your life.  Go ahead, try it - Live like you were dying!