Do you remember the TV ad for Tombstone pizza that asked the question, “What do you want on your Tombstone?” Most popular answer was pepperoni. However, I think it is a good question to ask yourself.
I recently read a book recommended by Rick Warren called “Living the Life You Were Meant to Live.” Great book! The author took a class at Pepperdine and had as one assignment the following: Write your own epitaph. Kind of morbid, but it was an assignment so he finished it. But he struggled with how he wanted to be remembered after his death. He wanted to be a genuine friend to his children when they became adults. he anted to be rememberd by his wife as an extremely loving and kind husband. But when he read what he wrote, he realized that he wasn’t the man he had described. He had a great deal of changing and growing to do do if he was to be that man by the time he died. He chose to change.
I challenge you to think about the end of life as you live the middle of your life. Judy & I find it very easy just to go through life bouncing off the trials that hit us, hoping that we’re making some headway. We seldom get that wide-angle view of our life to see if we’re heading in the right direction.
This is a good time to make some adjustments in your life. Sit down with a pad and pencil and write what you want people to say about you at your funeral: your spouse, children, grandchildren, neighbors, co-workers, and even me – your pastor. What do you want me to say? Now see if you are that person that you want to be. If not, make some changes. Ask God’s help to become that person. Ask these people how you can become that person.
The author of the book said he didn’t let anyone but the professor see his assignment. Then 10 years later, he let his wife see it. He asked her, “I want you to tell me very honestly if this is the way you will remember me. This is the kind of man I want to be in your memory and the memory of our children.” After she read through it, she said, “Yes, that’s the man you are. That’s the way the children and I think of you now.” Wow! It took 10 years, but that assignment was a major turning point in his life.
I hope you’ll think “What do you want on your tombstone?”
What would you like people to say about you after you’re gone?
Thank you for writing this, Greg. Excellent and timely counsel!