What Does Your Life Say About You?
My husband’s father passed away last week. He was just shy of his 88th birthday. He was in fairly good health, but complications from diabetes took him from us within a month. My mother-in-law has dementia, and although she has good days, we’re not always sure what she retains. Of course we’re all reeling from his sudden loss.
My father-in-law’s death took me straight back to that of my own father. He died in the spring of 2020, just after COVID made the news. He lived in New Mexico with my mother and one of two sisters. My other sister lived in Texas at the time. It was devastating to not know what to do – should I risk traveling? What could I do to help my mom and youngest sister?
Death of a parent takes your mind to a strange place. I am confident that my own father knew Our Lord Jesus Christ. I know he had a grand reunion in Heaven with his parents and I look forward to the day when I can see him again. I miss his smile, his laugh, his jokes, his guidance, his wisdom … even his stubbornness. But for the most part, he lived his life with Jesus front and center. You could tell he was a Godly man. Perfect? Of course not! But he tried. And he set me on the path to Jesus Christ from an early age. I’m ever grateful for that.
The death of these men makes me examine my own life. Is Jesus front and center? Do people know that I am a Christian? Are my words and actions set apart from this world? Does His light shine through me? I spend time in the Word often, go to bible study weekly and attend church. But what do my friends and casual acquaintances see when they look at me?
I hope they see a perfectly broken woman, who tries every day to live for Him. A woman who is loving, compassionate and kind. Who makes mistakes – many! – and knows that she needs Him as much as she needs air to breathe. A less-than-perfect woman certain of her place as a beloved child of God. A wife who lifts up her husband and children. A daughter who cares for her mother.
A sinner redeemed by our Lord.
My desire is to follow the path he’s laid out for me, never giving up, never letting sin stop me. My favorite verse is Hebrews 12:1-2: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
I hope that you, dear reader, will take a moment to examine your own life. What we give our time and attention to is what’s most important to us. What does your life say about you?