What Will They Say?

A couple days ago I went to a funeral. A friend of mine’s grandmother passed away at the age of 88. Usually at funerals you can adequately gauge what the deceased person was like by the mood in the room. I’ve been to funerals where the person being remembered has been murdered and the anger in the room has been palpable. I’ve also been to funerals where the person being remembered was simply a terrible person and you could feel an odd sense of relief in the room. This funeral was neither, because the woman being remembered was a legend in her community.

She was well known for her generosity and devotion to the children in her neighborhood. She had been a mother to generations of children in her community. Her joyous spirit and sustained faith in God left an indelible impression on so many lives. One man even pleaded for more women like her to step up in these difficult times because the community is desperate for them. As I sat there and heard all the heartfelt words and saw all the tears I couldn’t help but wonder…

What will they say about me?

When my life comes to an end and my heart and flesh depart this place…

What will they say?

Will they speak of my love and commitment to those around me?

Will they throw out words like integrity, compassion, strength, and wisdom?

I’m not exactly sure what people will say but I know that I am often guilty of taking my time here on this earth for granted. I’m guilty of thinking that even though tomorrow is not promised to me, I’ll always have another chance to do better. We easily forget that time is the one resource that we can never replace, we take it for granted. Once it’s gone… it’s gone. I don’t know what tomorrow will hold; in fact I don’t even know that I will see tomorrow. What I do know is that I have today, and today I can decide to do and be everything that God has called me to be. Today I can give each moment the value it deserves and love, encourage, give, and inspire with urgency and abandon. 

So what will they say? I’m not quite sure. What I do know, is that if I treat every moment like the gift that it truly is, and recklessly show the unconditional love that God has shown me, to others in my life, it will have to be something epic.

Love, Life, Christ
Riis,