How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 24, 2017

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.”   “I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”    Matthew 26:10, 13

How do you want to be remembered? The memory of your life will linger beyond your death; so how will your obituary read? Your epitaph will define you; so how will it read? Will it point to God and people or to you? We will all have a memorial that reflects our life. It may be pigmy-sized because it is built around us, or it may be bigger than life because it is built around Christ. These are important eternal questions that need clear definition. Your defining moments are building a memorial that will extend into the future. There are spectators watching you assemble a life memorial. Your family is watching, friends and acquaintances are watching, and the world is watching, but most important, God is watching.

Some of your heavenly-minded cohorts will do more than watch. Their memories will intertwine with yours, creating a beautiful tapestry of God’s faithfulness. Your memorial may be more a collaboration around community—rather than individual—accomplishments. Either way, stay in the process of keeping your life aligned with and for eternal purposes. Other well-meaning (and some not so well-meaning) pundits will try to dissuade you from a lifetime commitment to seek God’s best. They may define God’s will differently than you, for they have “a wonderful plan for your life.” But you have your own life to live. God’s best for you may not be God’s best for another, so take what God has given you and completely dedicate it to Him.

Your commitment to Christ is compelling in itself. It provides the wet cement that bonds together the bricks of your life experiences. As you construct your life memorial, consider a few things. Ponder the wisdom of making God your foundation. When He is your foundation, your memorial will stand for eternity. The memory of your lifelong acts of service for Christ and others may fade over time, but your God-based foundation will remain. Build eternal financial investments for Jesus into the architecture of your beautiful life memorial. Leverage your resources for God’s Kingdom. Your memorial may be bricks and mortar that represent churches, schools, hospitals, businesses, community centers, or homes. Whatever you build, build for the glory of God.

However, one word of caution is necessary. A Christ-centered charter, governed by God-fearing leaders, is required to keep an institution pure in its mission. Spend as much or more time and money on preserving the integrity of the vision, as on the construction of buildings. Otherwise, your memorial to Christ may very well be hijacked by heresy.

Your memorial may consist of paying for the Christian education of your grandchildren. It may be funding initiatives and projects that leverage evangelism and discipleship in a country outside of yours. Your memorial building may involve serving Jesus in some obscure and remote part of the world, without fanfare or appreciation. Whatever you do, do as unto the Lord. Resist the critics, embrace Christ, and be ever mindful of beautiful Kingdom memorial-building.

The Bible says, “I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever” (Psalm 45:17).

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