When The End Comes!

 While surfing the net the other day, I came across an article written by a hospice chaplain. Being a former hospice chaplain myself I was intrigued. I click on the link and start reading. The chaplain was talking about people very near the end of their life and the last statements that they make. I cannot remember the exact stats, but I'll go with 100 quoted. The hospice patients at the end of their life, all of them said that they wish they had did more, spent more time with their families. Not one of them said they wish they had worked more and made more money. When the end came, they realized that money and possessions did not matter. It was their relationship with Jesus and their families that mattered most. Of course it is to late to do anything about it now, but they wanted others not make the same mistake and wait till the end of their lives to figure it out. Leave behind a life of regrets!

So tonight while watching YouTube videos, I stumble across a video from the great Johnny Cash. The video was for his song "Hurt". I say stumble, but I really don't believe that. I believe that God put that video on my viewing radar. Anyway. If you haven't heard the song or seen the video, I encourage you to go to YouTube and watch and listen. It is a very powerful song and video, about someone reflecting back on their life. The life they leave behind.

So I started thinking about my life. About when the end comes for me. How are people going to remember me? What kind of a legacy am I leaving? 

Will I be remembered as being materialistic? I sure hope not. I'm starting to think that all of my collection of things are just a waste. My little mini guitars. All of my Cardinals collectibles. All of that is nice, but it will mean nothing at the end of my life! Jesus will not care if I collected those guitars or if I was a Cardinals fan. He only cares if I believed in Him!

Will I be remembered as a selfish person. Again, I hope not. I try and never do anything for me. I am always looking out for the end user. I try to make it as easy as possible for the person coming after me. That is what I am known for at work. Our material handler loves working with me for that very reason.

Philippians 2:3 New Living Translation

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

I know that I am not perfect. Far from it as a matter of fact. 

Romans 3:23 Living Bible

23 Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal;

I just hope that when the end comes for me that I am remembered as a faithful servant of Jesus. A faithful, loving husband. Loving father, good friend and co-worker. Generous. A guy who loved God and loved people. A guy who tries to be more like Jesus everyday.

Acts 10:2 Living Bible

2 He was a godly man, deeply reverent, as was his entire household. He gave generously to charity and was a man of prayer.

So I encourage you. To live your life for God and others. All of the trophies and accolades are nice, but when the end comes, they will mean nothing. You cannot take them with you. Make a lasting legacy for your family to remember you by. Not how much you worked and all the events that you missed. But how many events you made and they way that you loved them!

God Bless!
Rev. Kev.