The Tragedy of a Comedian

When a comedian like Robin Williams commits suicide, it certainly wakes you up.

Here is a man who looks like he has it all…success, adoration, wealth, fame. And here is a man who looks like he has a positive view on life. After all, the concept of a "depressed comedian" is a contradiction in terms. We expect that the one who makes us laugh at life can make himself laugh at life as well.

But Robin Williams had a dark side or "demons" to battle, as the world might say.

A lonely childhood. An unsupportive father. Three marriages. Alcohol and drug addiction. A lifelong battle with depression.

Robin Williams was obviously looking for something in this world that he could never find.

C.S. Lewis' once said: "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."

And Solomon, a man with all the intelligence, pleasure, and wealth this world can afford, said it quite bluntly: “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile" (Ecclesiastes 1:1).

Robin Williams came to see life in this world in its starkest terms. Futile. Depressing. Lonely. Dark. He gained practically everything that this world could offer and found it to be empty.

Ironically he committed suicide in a place called Paradise Cay.

We don't know what ultimately caused Robin Williams to take his life. The Proverbs say, "The heart knows its own bitterness, and with its joy no one else can share" (14:10). There were probably many factors that led him to that final tragic decision.

We can mourn for him. Pray for his family and children. Take extra care of those around us who may be struggling with their own dark path. And remember how hard life on this earth can be at times.

The Bible does not hide or sugarcoat reality from us. In fact, it teaches us these three basic truths.

1. We are desperately broken. There is something wrong with our hearts. To some degree, we all battle insecurity, loneliness, discouragement, depression. Yes, we can cover over it, ignore it, stuff it, escape it, compensate for it…for a time…and maybe even for a whole lifetime. But the reality is still there. We battle thoughts and desires that threaten to overwhelm us. We struggle with relationships. We fight others. We fight ourselves. We want our own way. We pursue things that ultimately do not satisfy. We want a God who gives us what we want without interfering with our lives. Or we don't want a God at all.

2. We live in a desperately broken world. Something seems haywire. We long for life but find death all around us. We long for peace but find conflict and war. We want time to slow down but it seems to speed up and disappear like a vapor. Hatred. Violence. Oppression. Cancer. Viruses. Natural disasters. Senseless tragedy. Meaningless existence. Something inside of us tell us that things should be different…hopes that things will be different…but in the end death seems to have the final say.

3. We have a Savior who was desperately broken for us and for our world. To the world, it sounds trite. It even sounds like foolishness. But to the believer, it sounds like good news. It sounds like life. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst (1 Timothy 1:15). Jesus bore our sins on the cross to offer us forgiveness, cleansing, reconciliation, freedom from guilt, eternal life. And Jesus rose again from the dead to give us victory, confidence, joy, peace, and hope.

Hope. It is the ultimate antidote to depression and despair.

Hope that the darkness of this life will one day dawn with new light.

Hope that the death of this world will one day be defeated with new life.

Hope that in the sufferings and trials of this life there is still meaning and purpose.

Hope that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Hope that because of Christ we will one day truly live in Paradise.

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