“He Drove a Corvette”. I don’t recall ever seeing those words on someone’s headstone. I’ve also never seen “He Wore Abercrombe”, “She Always Looked Nice”, or “HALO Champion”. While I’m at it, I’ve never seen “Rotary Club Member”, “Rock Star”, or “Pastor’s Favorite” either. In fact I’ve seldom, if ever, heard about a person’s possessions or positions when their life is being remembered.
I got to thinking about the people I know who have had the greatest impact on my life. I mean people who helped to shape who I am today. For the life of me I can’t remember what kind of car they own. I couldn’t tell you whether they use a Blackberry or an iPhone. I have no idea where they shop for their clothes or what kind of cologne they wear. I honestly don’t know how popular they were in college or if they were any good in sports.
The thing I do know about them is their character. They’re caring people, compassionate people. They have a way of making you feel important even though many people would like their attention. They have great attitudes and seem to see the positive in just about every circumstance. They have integrity and follow through with their commitments. What you see s what you get with them and there’s no room for doubt about their love for God and people. It’s their character that leaves a legacy, not their ability to preach, run a program, make money, or look good.
So why do we spend so much time and resources on things that fade? I don’t know, but I do know that, when it’s all said and done, no one’s going to care if I owned a Mac or a PC. At my funeral the kind of car I drove probably won’t be discussed. The only one who will remember where I got my hair cut will be the woman who cuts my hair. The memories I leave will be of my character, my attitude, how I treated others.
The Invisible Church member knows this and is aware of how their character and attitude speak to those around them. To quote St. Francis of Assisi, “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.“
