My Epitaph

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been thinking about epitaphs.  What do I want people to remember about me?  I’m not sick or even old enough to be facing death, but each of us face death every day.  We never know when our end will come.  What do we want people to remember about us?  What kind of legacy do we want to leave?  I know is sounds like a depressing subject, but not when you think about it.  Each of us wants to make a mark on the world, some of us in bigger ways than others. 

In Southern Arizona there is a town called tombstone.  It was a rough western town and the grave markers in Boot Hill are somewhat famous for be a little outlandish.

Here lies Lester Moore

Four slugs from a forty-four

No Lies

No More

That's a Boot Hill grave stone.

Another one I found humorous is in Florida.

I told you I was sick

Do we want our parting words to be funny, informative, or inspirational?  I think inspirational.  How do you summarize your most important beliefs and ideas into a few words?  Corrie Ten Boom was able to do that.  Her grave marker reads:

Jesus is Victor

This is my favorite one.  I want people to remember me for my faith in Christ.  I want them to remember that I wasn’t perfect, but I loved the Lord and I loved other people.  There is an old song that was popular when I was a teenager. Some of the words in the chorus are:  She had her father’s eyes.  Eyes that find the good in things, when good is not around.  Eyes that found the source of help, when help would not be found.  I want to take it a step further.  I want to see people as Jesus sees them.  Imagine the amount of compassion filling our lives if we saw people as Jesus does.  If we could love like Jesus does.  I hope I merit a memorial like that.  One that says she had the eyes of Jesus. 

1 Samuel 16:7B (NIV) “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

I can’t pass on riches, or processions. I can only pass along a legacy of faith, but in the long run, that’s worth so much more.

 

 

 

Brandon Health - Give Me Your Eyes from brandon-heath on GodTube.