Monday, November 24, 2008

You Can't Take It With You

The first thing that come to mind when someone says, “You can’t take it with you” are our jewelleries, companies, fame and fortune. Very few of us think of our bodies, those vessels which have embodied our souls for so many years. Our bodies are being discarded as our souls move into the hereafter. Like discarding a dirty shirt for a clean one, we exchange our mortal bodies for immortal ones.

How many of us ever think of the mortal bodies we leave behind except to think of its disposal-cremation or burial? Yet our mortal left-behind bodies may still be of use to others. Yes, I am talking about organ donation.


Every year thousands of people are in need of organs for transplantation. They are quite happy to receive the organs from dead bodies (cadaveric organ donors). These organs can save their lives. People with kidney failure and on dialysis can tell you about their ordeals. A person with kidney failure will need to be dialysed on the average 2-3 times a week. Each session last 4-6 hours and incur financial cost. In between dialysis, they are tired and lethargic. They may be alive but there is no quality to their lives. They need kidneys.

There is such an acute shortage of organs for transplant that a black market exists to supply this need. People are going to countries like China, India, Turkey and other poorer countries to buy kidneys.

Personally I think all Christians should be organ donors. After all we are going to get a new body! At least let the discarded one be of use; our final legacy to this world. Even better will be if we are to donate one of our kidney when we are alive. After all God gave us two kidneys and the body function equally well with only one. That will be truly self-sacrificing love.


photo credit

4 comments:

HuaiZhi said...

while i am very much for organ donation, i think we need to remember that our physical bodies are not going to be replaced but resurrected (1 Thess 4:16-17), as was the case for Jesus.. otherwise, we play into Greek dualism..

Anonymous said...

Whatever it is, however it happens...the Lord will take care of us and fix us up better than new.

I think it is a great thing for people to donate their organs.

Alex Tang said...

Hi ChenHuaiZhi, I tend to agree with Steve Martin that our ressurected bodies will be much better and we do not have to worry about missing organs.

Alex Tang said...

Hi Dave,

Thank you for information about the Life-Sharers. It is a unique approach to getting more people to be willing to donate their organs.