Ricky Topp was a childhood friend of mine. We grew up together and got in trouble together a few times. We went our separate ways, but would see each other at high school reunions and always shared a hug and some kind words.
Ricky Topp died this weekend. He was 50 just like me.
During his struggles with brain cancer I prayed for him. One year ago I wrote him a letter. In some ways it was very personal, just for Rick. In other ways it is the letter that I want to write to every person I have ever met. That's why I've decided to share the letter here, with greatest respect and appreciation for the life of Ricky Topp, and thanksgiving for how his life and death bring focus to the most important questions we will ever ask.
Rick Topp, 5747 Roosevelt St. Middleton, WI 53562
August, 2010
Hey Rick-
It was nice to see you at the reunion last summer, and then to be able to talk to you on the cell phone from McDermid’s driveway this summer. You know I appreciated your honesty at the reunion, and you were one of the people who touched me by sharing some of the hard things along with the good stuff. People pretend too much. I saw some tears at the reunion, and they were real.
I was sorry to hear from Jon about your surgery and treatments. I’ve never had brain surgery but have had 3 cancer surgeries and chemo and radiation three times over the years, including radiation to my head and a big bald spot to prove it. My cancer is not cured but I am living with it. It is no picnic and I understand that.
I am enclosing a separate letter. That may seem weird, but I wanted to do it that way. You don’t need to open the separate letter now, though you can whenever you want.
When people face cancer, it can be an important thing because it reminds us that this life doesn’t last forever. From the moment we are born we are in the process of dying. Some die too young, some die too old, but we all will die. I will, you will. We pray for each other to live longer and get better, but in the end there will be an end.
I think you know that I am a Christian. I became a Christian when we were juniors in high school. Choosing to be a Christian has changed my whole life.
Some people are ready to die and are not afraid of what they will say when they meet God at the moment of death. Maybe you are one of those people. If so, then I am very happy for you and we’ll leave it that I will continue to pray for your recovery so you can live a long and happy life before you do meet him. You don’t need the other letter.
But maybe you are one of the many people who aren’t so sure what they are going to say when they meet God at death. Maybe you have doubts about heaven and how to relate to God now and when we meet him. If you have doubts or fears, that is why I wrote the letter in the other envelope. If you get to that point of fear or concern about the future, read it. I wrote it because I love you. Even though we’ve been separated by many years and by many miles, we grew up together and I care about you.
Jim Maher
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separate envelope:
Rick, most people think they can earn their way to heaven by being good. I hear it all the time. That’s not what the Bible teaches, but it’s what most people think. “If I follow the golden rule, or try to do my best, I can live with God forever.” “Bad” people go to hell, right?
I was amazed to find that Jesus taught something very different, and the New Testament makes it clear. Nobody is good enough to go to heaven. NOBODY. Wow. Saint Paul writes in the Bible (Romans 3:23) “There is nobody who is righteous, not even one. For all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” He writes in Romans 6:23 “For what we deserve is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” What is that all about?
The Bible teaches that God is perfectly good, and he has planned a way to live with us forever, but it requires that we become perfectly good too. That is impossible for us to achieve by trying. God proved it by giving us the 10 commandments, and all of us have broken many of them many times. If breaking even one of them once makes us imperfect, then we’re hosed and none of us can get to heaven.
No, God made a plan so that we can be perfect and holy like him. We can have this forgiveness and perfection even though we are bumbling sinful humans. We can meet God now, and we can meet him in heaven someday, and we can be confident that we will be accepted. How? Not because we deserve it or are “good enough.” No, it is because we can receive God’s forgiveness as a gift.
The Bible teaches that Jesus didn’t suffer and die on the cross by accident or because of a tragedy. Jesus was God on earth, and he died on purpose for you and for me. He died as a perfect sacrifice in my place and in your place. He died on the cross to receive the punishment that you and I deserve. He took God’s punishment in our place, his one perfect life paying the price for all the imperfect lives that have ever been lived. John 3:16 in the Bible (what you see at football games) says that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him would not die, but have everlasting life.”
So what do we have to do to be forgiven and receive this gift? The Bible says that it isn’t automatic, but we just have to ask. I did it when I was a junior in high school. If you haven’t done it yet, you can do it right now, and then learn more by beginning to read the Bible (try starting with the book of John in the New Testament). You can pray a simple prayer just by talking to God. I think I prayed something like “God, I know now that I could never be good enough to live with you in heaven. I’m so sorry for that, and I’m sorry that I have fallen so far short of your commands. But I am so happy that I now understand that you made a way for me to be forgiven forever so I can live with you in my heart now and live with you in heaven forever. I accept the gift of Jesus Christ, and his death for me on the cross. Lord Jesus, come into my heart as my savior and my Lord.”
Rick, if you have questions about that, or if you decide to pray that prayer, feel free to call me to tell me. I’m at 507-261-0345.
Your friend, Jim Maher
In fondest memory of my friend, Ricky Topp
8.20.11
