It was shocking to me when Dr. Billy Graham passed away this week. Of course, I knew that he wasn’t well and he was getting up in years and would one day die, but it’s still a shock because he and his crusades had been a fixture in American life since before I was born. But, as all things do, his life ended and he is no longer with us and we feel the vacancy.
Now, his family and the world are left with memories. Those memories are, almost unanimously, good, healing, warm and wonderful recollections. As always, a few detractors will say hurtful things about him or his family, but these are people who look for something to criticize and I pay no attention.
But, I was wondering–when my time on earth is over, what will people remember about me? When your time is finished, what will others remember about you? Different people will have different memories and our families and friends will remember the good. We’ll hope that very few will remember the not so good. After we are gone, all we’ll leave behind are memories and, after we are gone, it’ll be too late to change them,
I once had a neighbor named Robbie. Robbie put together my grandchildren’s play-set. Every day after he got home from his job, he would come with his tools and work in the heat of summer. He would not accept any pay as he cheerfully and gladly performed this task. Robbie and his wife moved from my neighborhood quite some time ago but when I look at the play set, I’ll always remember a cheerful young man. I tried to pay him, but he wouldn’t have it. “Are you a Christian?” Robbie asked me. “Yes,” I answered. “Then we’re family,” Robbie said, “and I am bound to help you.”
Cover art by Carolyn Cochran Karinen
“I am bound to help you.” What wonderful words. So today, I’ll hope to make some sort of good memory for someone. I’ll pray that my words and actions, if they are remembered at all, will be remembered with gladness and warmth. No one is here on earth for very long. Even Billy Graham’s ninety-nine years weren’t long when compared with the centuries of history. Let’s use the time wisely, being careful that if we leave an imprint, or a memory, that it’s a glad one. Today is the day we make memories for tomorrow.
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