What Will Be On Your Tombstone?
Crafting Your Epitaph Today
Have you ever thought about what message you want to leave behind when your time on earth is up?
I'll admit, it's morbid to be thinking about tombstones and epitaphs. But reflecting on our mortality can be a healthy exercise. After all, life is short. We only get so many spins around the sun before our time here is done.
So what legacy will you leave? How do you want people to remember you?
It's wise to consider these questions now while you still have time to write your story well. As the saying goes, the dash between the dates on your tombstone represents your life. Make it count!
A Near-Death Experience Changed My Perspective
Personally, I became less afraid of death after a near-drowning incident at 19. As my body sank to the lake bottom, my spirit separated and crossed to the other side. I was immersed in God's Presence and amazing love. After a brief conversation with the Lord, I returned to this world again, and here I am, writing this article!
Since then, I've looked forward to the day I'll pass through death's door again. I know a glorious reunion awaits in the next life. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm in a hurry to die! I still have work to do here. But when my time comes, I'll be ready.
How will you feel in the moments before taking your final breath? Will you depart with peace, joy, and anticipation? Or regret, frustration, and sadness? It's worth thinking about now.
Cemeteries Offer Fascinating "Life" Lessons
Part of my fascination with death is visiting cemeteries, like the famous Recoleta in Buenos Aires. The headstones tell remarkable stories of lives cut short or stretched long. For instance, I discovered the grave of Rufina Cambaceres, a 19-year-old buried alive in 1902 after doctors mistakenly pronounced her dead. Imagine! Look her up; it's wild.
Cemeteries remind me that life is precious and fleeting. They inspire me to leave a legacy that outlasts my years. After all, your only lasting possession is your influence on others.
What will you be known for when you're gone?
Being with the Dying as a Pastor
As a pastor, I'm often with people in their final days. Just this week, we buried a dear woman who lost her cancer battle. And sadly, someone else in our church will soon pass too. Each funeral reminds me: we all have an expiration date. Our time here is limited. Reflecting on mortality shouldn't just happen when death affects us personally.
As Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart."
Going to funerals over parties makes us contemplate our purpose and realign our priorities toward eternal things over temporary pleasures.
How would you live differently if this were your last day on Earth?
Choosing Our Eternal Destiny Now
I'm asked about the deceased's eternal destiny at nearly every funeral. Did they go to heaven or hell? But honestly, that's the wrong thing to focus on. Because someday, you and I will be the ones in the casket. Others will wonder about our eternal state.
Yet we choose that destination for ourselves now. Our eternal fate depends on what we do with Jesus today. So instead of worrying about where others have gone, consider where you are headed. You still have time to secure your heavenly home. That's what matters most.
Our eternal dwelling will far outlast any temporary grave.
Live Like You're Dying
As country singer Tim McGraw's hit "Live Like You Were Dying" puts it:
"I went sky diving…I went rocky mountain climbing...I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu...I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter...I went to church and I read Revelation."
The guy in the song started living life to the fullest after a terminal diagnosis.
The point?
Don't wait for a tragic prognosis to start living right.
Make every moment count as if it were your last. Connect deeply, speak kindly, fix relationships, and pursue growth.
Don't wait until it's too late.
Surround Yourself with Eternity-Minded People
Who you surround yourself with impacts how you think about death and eternity. Their perspectives can liberate or limit you. For example, billionaire Ted Turner grew up in church. But after his sister died, his dad blamed God and committed suicide. Understandably, this led Ted to become disillusioned too. He wrongly decided a loving God wouldn't allow such tragedy.
The people around you shape your values and priorities about life and death. Choose wisely!
The Question of Your Legacy
I recently read a thought-provoking quote:
"Some people die at 25 but aren't buried until 75."
It's true. Some of us stop truly living decades before our hearts stop beating. Our hopes and dreams fade away long before our bodies give out. Don't let that happen to you! Resolve today to live purposefully and urgently. Make every moment count.
In the end, your legacy isn't about duration but donation. Not how long you lived, but how fully and selflessly you lived. Focus on your contribution, not your clock.
What Will Be on Your Tombstone?
With all this talk of death and tombstones, what will be on yours? What epitaph summarizes the legacy you want to leave behind?
For me, a fitting inscription would be, "Now It Begins!" My physical death will launch me into the eternal life I've anticipated since I was 19. I'm assured that the best is yet to come for all who have trusted Christ!
You must decide how to cut your life story short on your tombstone. How will you summarize a life well lived? What words capture your aspirations to be remembered as someone who made a difference in a challenging world?
Jot down ideas now before time runs out! Because the dash matters. Make yours count!
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