It was one of those moments.
You know the kind.
Where all of life seems to stop. What you thought was important yesterday, suddenly looked trivial. The small matters that recently consumed your mind, quickly blurred and faded away.
As I sat there in the pew, I listened intently to the words about our uncle and the life he lived.
Celebrating his life at his funeral brought reality, and what’s important, back into focus.
But then my mind wandered.
What will be said about me at my funeral?
Will others talk about my patience, my compassion, my quiet and gentle spirit, like they did of our uncle?
Or will my not-so-God-glorifying traits be what people remember?
How do I want to be remembered?
I got to thinking about what I’m doing in my days.
Am I putting my energy, the gifts God has given me, the time I’ve been blessed with into myself? Into acquiring stuff? Into frivolous odds and ends?
Or am I investing in the lives of others? Am I making a difference in any one else’s life? Am I sharing my faith, my life, myself with others?
Do those who know me know Who I put my faith in, and where my salvation lies?
Am I just going through the motions, or am I living an amazing, adventurous, spirit-filled life??
Friend, I understand it’s not always comfortable to stare reality in the face, but sometimes we just need to.
We each only have a limited time on this earth. What are we doing with this time we’re given?
I can’t answer that question for you. I can only answer it for me, and I see there’s areas I’m not living up to what I could be. There’s areas I’m living in safety and comfortableness. I’m settling for good, and not accepting God’s best. And to top it all off, I’m too focused on myself.
It’s time to make some changes.
How I want to be remembered?
I pray my love for Jesus and others long outlive me. To be remembered I lived for God and others, and not for myself. And that those in my life are impacted for eternity by me pointing them to Jesus.
All else really doesn’t matter, does it??
How do you want to be remembered?
It’s a powerful question to ponder. I’d love to read your thoughts below.
And just for fun, below is a clip from the 2007 movie, The Final Season, that featured my hometown and high school. There’s some wisdom in this short snippet. May you be blessed by it.
Blessings!
Julie
It’s a joy to link up with Kelly at #RaRaLinkup and Holly at #TestimonyTuesday. These are wonderful places to be encouraged!
I guess I don’t really care how I’m remembered…having one foot in the grace means I also have a foot in eternity, and what I’m remembered for here won’t mean a gnat’s eyelash there.
And there won’t be time or need to remember, because Heaven will be a BUSY place, and all the good stuff will be given back to us by God…evergreen.
The impact we have on others does matter… for eternity. Thanks for stopping by, Andrew.
Matthew 25 beginning with verse 31.
Joan, these precious verses are committed to memory, as they were a part of the original vision of the ministry I used to be involved in. God is faithful. Thanks for sharing.
I have also been thinking a lot lately about how I want to be remembered. Not just for me to be remembered but for the impact on others lives so that they can pass it on. I pray that my friends and family remember that I always got back up when I stumbled and that I learned to praise God even in the middle of the storms.
Yes, Amy. I’m with you. These are great things to desire to be remembered by. The impact made on others’ lives far outlives our own. So glad you stopped by to share. Blessings, dear friend!
Great food for thought! I love how Joyce Meyer puts it: “What’s on your dash?” (or it might be “in” your dash…). The dash between your birth and death dates on your tombstone. It’s a tiny thing, that dash…it’s up to us not to have tiny things in there. Thanks for sharing, Julie.
Ooh, that’s good, Mary! I had forgotten about the “dash.” Thank you for that reminder. That helps put life in perspective!!
Thank you for the sober reminder that I want my legacy to be ‘she loved God and it oozed out of her’–not ‘she was a nice but sometimes grumpy lady who I’m pretty sure was a Christian.’
You make me smile, Anita. I want my legacy to be the former as well. Not sure I’m doing so great in that in the moment, though. Thanks for that great thought!!
This is the meaning behind Ecc 7:2. Funerals have a away of resetting our focus! I truly hope that I am remembered by how God was able to shine through me. Some days I let myself get in the way though. Thank you for these wise words. I am your neighbor of two link ups today. 🙂
I hope I’m remembered in that way as well, Jennifer. Thank you for stopping by and for sharing. It’s good to have you here!
Thank you Julie, you inspire us to think about what we fear thinking about. You call us to go to places that are risky. For this, I love your words. Thank you for this. I have been pricked in a certain area! Cheering you from the #RaRalinkup on Purposeful Faith.
Thank you for hosting the link weekly, Kelly. I’m glad to be back and will hopefully be able to link up this coming week. Bless you, sweet friend!