Recently, as I was going through some of my books, I ran across a book entitled C.S. Lewis, Letters to Children. Lewis had a belief that if anyone wrote to him regarding one of his books that he was obliged to reply. Lewis was most well-known for his Chronicle of Narnia series and many other books on the Christian faith such as Mere Christianity, Miracles, The Problem of Pain, etc. It was his custom throughout his entire life to write back those who took the time to write him. One of the last letters he wrote was to a young girl named Ruth. It was October 26, 1963, the last month of his life (as he died November 22, 1963 the same day as JFK’s assassination), and he gave her some of the best advice an older believer can give to a young believer. This was the legacy of Lewis. He said, “If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope you may always do so.” Lewis was a man known to academics, skeptics, and to the broader Christian community around the world as one of the biggest Christian minds of the 20th century, yet in his final days he shared something so simple yet profound to a young girl writing her literary hero. I wished more heroes today lead their followers to Jesus.
May we never forget that it’s not how much we know, but rather who we know. Lewis knew a lot, but his greatest reminder was not how much he knew, but rather that he knew Jesus, and at the end of his life it was in Jesus that he put all his hope and trust in. In a few short days after this letter was written he stepped into the presence of his Lord. I believe out of all of his writings it was this short letter that was some of his greatest content.
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