“God won’t say ‘Well thought’ or ‘Well said’ or ‘Well planned.’ There is only one commendation: ‘Well done.’ And there is no higher commendation than that. It is the epitaph that every Christ follower wants written over their lives. Anything less than that is falling short.”- Mark Batterson
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ “- Matthew 25:23 (ESV)
In Chapter 20 (“Two Thumbs Up”), the final chapter of A Trip around the Sun, Mark Batterson relates a story about Amos Alonzo Stagg. The legendary Stagg coached football at the University of Chicago for four decades.
Once a young reporter congratulated Stagg after a very successful season. Coach Stagg, who not only coached his players but discipled them, replied: “I won’t know how good a job I did for twenty years. That’s when I’ll see how my boys turned out.”
Most significantly, Mark stresses, our legacy is measured by lives that are changed long after we’re gone. Not by the things we accomplish during our lifetime. So, Mark asks, what kind of legacy do you want to leave? Certainly, he counsels, don’t leave your legacy to chance. Because it’s a choice.
Epitaphs serve as a window into how we lived our lives. In addition, epitaphs reveal our innate desire to leave an impact on the world. Therefore, Mark advises:
“But isn’t your epitaph something you should give some serious thought to? Epitaphs aren’t something we normally discuss in everyday conversation. Just as we avoid thinking about dying, most of us have given little thought to the words we want to be remembered by. . . . Sometimes asking ourselves questions helps us evaluate where we are. If tomorrow was your last day on earth, would your epitaph read the way you would want it to?”
Today’s question: Do you believe there’s no higher commendation than ‘Well done? Please share.
Coming Monday: the July Short Meditation, “Find fresh hope and purpose”
Tomorrow’s blog: the annotated bibliography of A Trip around the Sun