Weakness

Fredrik Backman is the author of a book I mentioned last Sunday. The book is titled A Man Called Ove. The book centers on a man named Ove whose wife was the love of his life. Backman writes,

“Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her, but if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.” (Fredrik Backman A Man Called Ove, Chapter 14 (6:05)).

Ove’s wife was his life. And after Ove’s wife died, Backman described the impact this way:

“But if anyone had asked, he would have told them, that he never lived before he met her, and not after either.” (Fredrik Backman A Man Called Ove, Chapter 14 (15:57)).

She was his life. Ove came to life when he met her. And he seemed to lose his life when she left him. And that, Backman writes, is the fear we all have about death:

“We fear it. Yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves. For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by, and leave us there, alone.” (Fredrik Backman A Man Called Ove, Chapter 39 (00:44))

What we fear more than anything when it comes to death, the novel suggests, is that death will leave us lonely in this life. What we most treasure in this life is having companionship. Having people to care about and people who care about us. That’s what brings us life. That’s what makes this life worth living. In many ways that’s what the novel is about.Read More »The Call for Elders (Jas 5:13-15) Chris Altrock – July 31, 2016