Billy Joel sang, “Only the Good Die Young.” It plays off an age-old question as to why do the good die young?
As I research old prayers, I wonder why so many devout Christians with so much potential die prematurely. I wrestle with this thought as I ponder the life of Henry Smith (1560-1591). This English clergyman rose through the ranks to become a highly acclaimed preacher at St. Clement Danes Church in London. Some considered him the greatest orator since St. Chrysostom in the fourth century. People called him “Silver-tongued Smith.” He was blessed with a prodigious memory, spoke eloquently and was witty. One early biographer said, “He fastened convictions upon the judgments of the auditory.” I take it to mean Smith had the rare ability to reach into people’s hearts with the power of the gospel. Enormous crowds came to hear him preach. They stood in the aisles and listened through open windows of his church to take in his hour-long spell-binding sermons. Copies of his sermons were distributed widely.
Henry took early retirement at age thirty due to a serious illness. He sensed the end was near, so he spent his last year revising sermons for future publication. Think of all the people Smith could have impacted for God’s kingdom had he lived another thirty years? Why not take out an evil demagogue instead? My only recourse is to fall back on words God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts [higher] than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55.9).
Henry leads us to pray: