September 8, 2026
Good morning! The temperature this morning is starting at 52 degrees, headed for 83. No moisture, just sunny and breezy. Yet, we should probably enjoy this warm day because the long-range forecast for October is highs in the 50’s to start the month.
This day started at 2:30 a.m. for me. That’s the time when the Holy Spirit poked me in the ribs and said, “We need to visit.” So, after a time of praising our Lord, we entered into today’s topic, “How will you be remembered at your funeral?” To sense the Lord Himself asking you that question will sure enough get a feller’s attention.
May I begin this journey with a question of my own, “What makes a movie a really good movie?” For me, the answer is a really good movie is one that keeps my interest all the way through and ends leaving me feeling good about life.
Then, the Holy Spirit guided my mind to ask the question, “What makes a really good life?” For the most part, I came up with the same answer. A life well lived is one that leaves people feeling good about who God is. A life well lived isn’t about the person we are remembering at the memorial per say but is about how that person and God worked together to leave a positive thumbprint of the lives of others.
So, then once again I ask, “How will you be remembered at your funeral?” Now come on, be honest. Don’t tell me how you “want” people to remember you, tell me how they “will” remember you. Will they remember your kindness and generosity or will they remember you as a penny-grabbing difficult person?
The Holy Spirit then reminded me of a statement that Jesus made during His earthly existence, “They will hate you because they hated Me.” You see, no matter how you live your life, if you stand with Jesus, there are going to be some who will not speak kindly of you when you take your last breath. However, the rest of the Bible reveals that when we live our life in a way that resembles how Jesus lived His life, the odds are really, really good that there will be way more folks who comment, “I’m going to miss her, or him.”
You see my friends, no matter how we live our lives, there will be some whom decide to dislike us; yet there will be a vast number more who are grateful that your life was a picture of Biblical truth. I encourage you to stop here and read the later portion of Ephesians 4. In verses 25 through the end of the chapter, the Spirit gives us a negative, a positive and then a reason why we should live the positive.
To me, these verses paint the picture of a life well lived. Old habits are done away with, while new habits are established that replace the negative with a positive. Now I can’t say for you, but for me, I’m still in that process, day-by-day my movie is being played out on the big screen; and so is yours.
You see, I would like to be the director of said movie, painting a picture of who I want you to think I am. However, the real director is God Himself, and He will reveal the real me, that He is still working on. Sure, I get to play the lead part, but unless God is the director of this movie, it probably isn’t going to leave folks feeling “good” at the end of it. (Prayers appreciated.)
Some of you who have been reading these post for years now, will remember this little ditty, “Yesterday is a canceled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, yet today is the only cash you have on hand, invest it wisely.” You see friends, yesterday is in the books, we will never have another opportunity to live it over again. Tomorrow may come for some of us, but most likely will not come for all of us. But today, today we get to join God in writing the rest of the story! Play your part well, allowing the Holy Spirit to be the supporting actor, and the life of Jesus to be your script. I reckon that script can be found within the pages of your Bible; read it, live it!
One thing is for sure, today is one more day toward the end of your life movie; how will folks remember you at your funeral?
Praying with you that this movie ends leaving others feeling good about knowing each of us, Neal.
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