How Will We Be Remembered

A few hours ago, I heard of a friend's passing. He was a little over my age. From the time he was diagnosed with cancer until the time of his death was a few day's shy of two months. When I heard the news of his death, I painted a picture, my way of getting my grief on the page, of picturing the glory he's experiencing now. My friend adored Jesus and wanted to be a full-time missionary alongside his wife and two children. They sold their larger house and got out of debt so they could go at any moment's notice. When he heard we were headed to France, he was pumped for us. And he prayed. And when he heard the news about the stage four cancer in nearly every organ in his body, he prayed God would get all the glory. He felt his cancer was his mission field.

He asked me to write a story about his life for our church's magazine. In doing so, I was changed. And even as I type this now, I'm profoundly challenged by his life. Suddenly my petty insecurities seem terribly small. And my worries about life's stress. And my fretting about the writing business.

I asked him how he wanted to be remembered. His response: "I'd like to be remembered by each individual in the way that gives God the most glory," he said. "So, if someone remembers me as a great family man and that inspires him to be more of a family man, then so be it. Or, if it's being remembered as someone passionate about missions, then so be it."

That's my question for myself. Am I willing to be remembered in the way that God gets the absolute most glory? Am I willing to be broken and spilled out for the sake of His Name? Have I placed my career over His renown?

My friend's passing shocked me back to reality, made me long again for that simple and pure faith, the kind of holy acts that are often unseen and unheralded. Ecclesiastes 7:2 reminded me today: "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting. Because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart."

I am taking it to heart, praising God for a man who lived well, who longed to see God's kingdom expand. And I pray that I'll be the kind of Christ-follower who will take up the baton, abandon myself afresh to His call, and lay those things I try to take back to myself on the altar once again. I'm clay-footed, needy, and foolish, but I'm constantly astounded that God would stoop to earth, find me, and choose to use me anyway. What a privilege. What a responsibility. What an amazing God.

Mary DeMuth is an expert in the field of Pioneer Parenting. She helps Christian parents plow fresh spiritual ground, especially those seeking to break destructive family patterns.  She is also an accomplished author and speaker and has written several parenting books and speaks at retreats, seminars and conferences.  You can view her website at www.marydemuth.com

Go back to Mary DeMuth or Columnist page.