Robin Williams in Lime Green Bike Gear

Normally I don’t touch on the death of an unbeliever on the blog, but this time I will.  I met Robin Williams about 12 or 13 years ago or so, when I was working at the White Spot restaurant in Vancouver.  He came in the restaurant, decked out in lime green, skin tight, bike gear, with goggles and a lime green helmet.  I wish I had a picture, but the one above will have to suffice. No one recognized him until he took off his helmet and goggles.  “Just did the seawall,” he exclaimed, “What’s for dinner?” I was his server, and he was humble, funny (but not over the top), and he left a nice tip. It was really no different than serving any other table, except that it was Robin Williams in Lime Green bike gear.

When I think  of Robin Williams, I think of a funny, off the wall stand up comic; and I will always remember him in that lime green gear with his goofy smile.

Robin Williams apparently suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, a mental illness where a person fluctuates between episodes of extreme energy, focus and productivity and severe depression. Apparently, he was in one of the episodes of depression when he took his own life.  Mental illness can strike anyone, famous or not, rich or poor, Christian or not. We should be aware of that, and educate ourselves on how to deal with depression in our own lives and the lives of our loved ones. There are a plethora of resources out there, but I highly recommend Christians Get Depressed Too by David Murray (click the image to read more).

This is a broken world we live in, as can be seen in the tragic choice someone would make to take their own life due to a mental illness. I do not know if Robin Williams was saved but if he was not, then it is truly tragic in the finality of his death. I feel for his family and loved ones as they grieve the loss.  And while the world mourns the loss of one of its “stars,”  we can look to Jesus Christ and know that in him we can find restoration and hope for this broken world, even in the midst of mental illness.  Yes, He is coming back to set all things right and to make all things new again.

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” ~ Revelation 21