Upheld In Significance

“One day your gravestone will have a birth date and a death date. But what will that dash in between represent about your life?”

Willow Creek’s Bill Hybels presented us with this comment/question in his opening message at this year’s Leadership Summit. Whoa!

Just how does one ponder such a significance loaded question? How big is this question?

Here are some thoughts to consider:

Have we given significant time to God?

Have we listened for His voice in our lives?

Have we followed God’s lead on our paths?

Do we even know what God’s lead is?

How have we treated our families?

Have we been there for them?

What kind of worker are we?

Do we forgive easily or do we carry grudges?

Are we part of the problem or the solution?

Do we have dreams? Have we pursued them?

Or have we wasted our precious earthly time?

If we have messed up, have we had the courage to make it right?

Have we spent our earthly things on things that matter? Or things insignificant?

Have we made a difference? Have we sought to make a difference?

Ok, so when future generations walk in the cemetery and see your name, birth date and death date, what will that dash in between represent about your life?

It matters.

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” I Peter 3:8,9.