Have you ever seen #YOLO at the end of a facebook post/tweet/picture? I have. And I've wondered what it meant. I'm not much into the texting acronyms, though I'll occasionally LOL, or as my mother's coined LQTM (Laugh Quietly To Myself). But YOLO seems different than just any commonplace laughter. And it is.
YOLO stands for You Only Live Once. It's often put after a comment about something interesting/fun/exciting/dare-devilish that you did.
Eg. Just went skydiving for the twelfth time this year! #YOLO
Or, it can be added as a rather ironic joke after something that is really not interesting or exciting and without YOLO would be completely boring.
Eg. Just found out sugar-free yogurt's on sale at Wal-Mart. #YOLO
The point is that YOLO is our culture's way of saying "this life's short; enjoy it while you can." Which has some truth in it. This life is short. We must maximize our time. And death is coming for everyone. YOLO hashtaggers may not be thinking about this as they post this seemingly carefree acronym, but this is actually a huge implication of it. If you only live once, then you must die once too.
But what YOLOers have wrong is that this is not the only time we live. Or die. YOLO would be a lot wiser if it was changed to YOLOOTE: You Only Live Once On This Earth. Last night in Bible Study we were in Revelation 20, talking about God's final judgment of all mankind, past and present, when the dead will be resurrected and either cast into eternal torture and punishment forever or ushered into the New Heavens and New Earth. You see, all will live twice. Some will live their first life on earth in pleasure and comfort only to live their second life in torment. Others will live their first life in service and sacrifice to live their second life in paradise and reward.
After this life does not come annihilation, or oblivion. It comes the second life. You may only live once on this earth, but that time is short. Use it wisely. For the second life is coming, and it is not short. It is eternal. And where will you spend your eternity?