OPINION:
Millions of millennials and Gen Xers were overtaken by grief this month after the death of James Van Der Beek, the “Dawson’s Creek” alum who entertained multiple generations.
Van Der Beek, who died Feb. 11 after a battle with colon cancer, was just 48 years old, with his premature demise adding insult to injury. His untimely death seemed to spark something deep in so many — an emotional shattering of sorts.
Many looked to the actor’s own words to make sense of his death, pointing to how the father of six processed his own struggles, identity and quest for meaning.
As is often the case, Van Der Beek seemed to reflect as he languished in life, postulating about the true value of the human experience. Rather than rooting himself in the fame, money and accolades he received in Hollywood, cancer offered him important clarity and pertinent realizations.
“When I was younger, I used to define myself as an actor, which was never all that fulfilling, and then I became a husband, it was much better, and then I became a father,” he said. “That was the ultimate.”
He continued, “I am worthy of God’s love simply because I exist.”
Van Der Beek also went on to note that the definitions he had previously given himself as a performer evaporated as he faced death, The Christian Post reported. Beyond that, the illness forced him to grapple with losing important elements of his identity.
“I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife,” he said. “I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working.”
As Van Der Beek shared these struggles, he came to recognize that God’s love was powerful, important and life-altering. Though he didn’t seem fully committed in regard to the full nature of God, he, at least, appeared to recognize his need for a higher power.
“I certainly don’t claim to know what God is or explain God,” Van Der Beek said. “My efforts to connect to God are an ongoing process that is a constant unfolding mystery to me.”
These comments, among others, received renewed attention in the wake of his death, as fans tried to make sense of such a monumental and stinging loss.
When someone such as Van Der Beek dies, it creates a reality-shaking moment that leads people into a state of shock, confusion and introspection. Oftentimes, a heavy realization sets in as they are suddenly forced to ponder their own humanity.
Celebrity deaths — especially beloved performers revered for essentially defining generations — have a way of perpetuating a spiritual whiplash, knocking the proverbial wind out of people.
“Life is short” is a common mantra, but it isn’t until the death of a person such as Van Der Beek that many truly pause to consider their own mortality. Yet James 4:13-14 in the Bible is clear about the reality that earthly existence is fleeting.
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit,’” verse 13 reads, with verse 14 continuing, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
In a world filled with so much chaos and distraction, it can be far too easy to forget the fragility of life — the “here today, gone tomorrow” nature of our existence. We become so enmeshed in the here and now that we tend to forget our true purpose.
Distracted by the shiny trappings of life, ranging from riches to success, we can too easily lose ourselves, moving from mission-mindedness to meandering, seeking temporary highs over true fulfillment and meaning.
The loss of Van Der Beek and others like him far too early should cause us to do a self-assessment. Are we living with purpose? Have we accidentally clung to temporal labels and duties, improperly rooting our value in the fleeting?
And, most importantly, are we right with the Lord? While I’m not sure where Van Der Beek inevitably landed theologically, his quest to understand God is notable.
Ultimately, I’m firmly convinced that Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” and that “no one comes to the Father” except through him (John 14:6). In a chaotic political and news era — a time when social media devours our time and attention — nothing is more important than exploring whether we’ve come to this essential, eternity-securing conclusion.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” Mr. Hallowell also is the author of four books.
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