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 I read about a minister whose sermon one Sunday morning was on the importance of forgiving one’s enemies. At the end of the message, he canvassed the congregation, “Now, how many of you have forgiven your enemies?” All but one of the members in the small church raised their hands. The lone holdout was a 98-year-old great-grandmother. The minister assumed the elderly woman was confused. However, she explained that she had not forgiven her enemies because she did not have any enemies.
Her testimony was an object lesson that the minister could not afford to overlook. He asked, “Would you please come and tell all of us how you have managed to live so long and not have any enemies.”
The entire congregation was wiping their eyes as the small woman on a walker inched her way to the front of the church. Turning to face the people, she explained her secret in one short sentence, “I do not have any enemies because I outlived all those losers!”
If Maria de Jesus ever had any enemies, I am certain she outlived them. Last Friday Maria de Jesus died in an ambulance near Tomar, Portugal. She was 115 years old, and considered the oldest living person in the world.
The super-centenarian was born in 1893, working her entire life on a farm in Ourem, Portugal. Jesus’ husband died 57 years ago. She outlived three of her six children, but lived to see the birth of 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
No one can know for certain Maria de Jesus’ secret to longevity. Only once did she visit a hospital. Her family claims that she always enjoyed good health and had only recently been plagued with poor hearing and eyesight. Until a few years ago, she enjoyed sunbathing on her porch and looking through family albums. With the help of a walker, Jesus was still mobile and able to stay at home with her 84-year-old daughter.
Everyone who knew Maria de Jesus claimed that the 115-year-old never smoked nor drank alcohol or coffee. However, she did have a weakness for rice pudding and ice cream. Maria de Jesus’ lifestyle and long life may be yet another example of a clean life leading to a long life. However, there are exceptions to that adage. All of us know someone whose life was impeccable regarding food and drink, but who died tragically young. There are also cases where others have abused themselves in every way imaginable and yet live long lives and die peacefully. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones reportedly remarked, “If I had known that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”
Good nutrition and a moderate lifestyle are critical to not only a long life but also a healthy one. Yet, Jesus once reminded a group of people that there were matters that are more important. He was referring to Old Testament food laws when Jesus said, “It is not what goes in you that defiles you but what comes out of you.” Later an editor added, “Thus he declared all foods clean.” Ceremonially, we can eat what we want, even creepy crawly things. Nutritionally, we should use good sense.
However, what we think, say or do may have the largest impact on the length and quality of our lives. The anxious, angry life is seldom a long one. I can make no guarantees, but my bet is that Maria de Jesus did not just outlive her enemies. She never had many.
Column by: Dr. Mark Ross - the pastor of Marion Baptist Church. |
