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King Solomon in our text, used these words in what we might describe in a crude way to highlight
the greatness of God’s blessing, life. Often we allow ourselves to be so depressed or overcome by
the cares, worries, or activities of this world. Others, we say, tempt fate, and put this life at risk, but
our text reminds us even if we, are in our mind at our lowest ebb, we are better off with life than if
we had achieved great heights, had all the honour and glory of as the king of the jungle, a lion but
were dead. Solomon correctly came to the conclusion that a living dog was better than the dead
lion. The reason for this, was that where there is life, there is hope.
Now in our spiritual life, this also is very true, if we have been tempted and misled in life and been
weak, and did things that make us an outcast to those around us, we then are seen by many in a
very bad light or as dogs. Provided we still have that gift of life, in the sight of God we still have a
hope. It is when we see ourselves for what we are that this hope can be turned to something better.
If our proud mind prevents this, we could be throwing away a great opportunity. When we see
ourselves for what we are, we then become humble and we are in a position then to turn to the
Lord. We have the great example recorded in the Bible in Luke 23, of the two malefactors crucified
with Christ, how the one could not see himself for what he was, and rebuked Christ and could not
see that he was throwing away his chance, he was to become as our text says, a dead lion, and as
such, throwaway his hope. The second man saw himself as he was, and while he had life, even
though he was in the eyes of those around in his lowest form, declared to the first. “Dost not thou
fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation. And we indeed justly; for we receive the due
reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus. Lord
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” From this we see the three elements required to
activate this hope while we have life. (1) We must see our short fallings and be prepared to
acknowledge them as wrong. (2) We must turn to and recognize Christ as our Lord and Saviour. (3)
We must ask him to remember us and cleanse us while we have life. We can only imagine the
feeling of the malefactor as our Lord said to him. “Verily I say unto thee, to-day shall thou be with
me in Paradise.” If we are sincere in our confessions, we will experience also this feeling as a peace
and will then know what Solomon was referring to in the word hope.
Let us always live each day in this hope and do not waste any day that the Lord allows us this
precious gift of life. Or as Apostle Paul writes. “For me to live is Christ.”