He Was A Good Christian Man

The other day I was standing outside my work with a couple of guys when a funeral procession drove by. One of my co-workers said, “He was a good Christian man.” I then asked him did he know the man. He responded “No, but he was a good Christian man.”

I thought to myself what a marvelous way to be remember, “He was a good Christian man.” One of the definitions of Christian is to be more like Christ. We all think about what our epitaph will be when our life is over. How will people remember us and what will we have accomplish with our life?

Will I be remembered as a good businessman and hard worker? Will I be remembered as a good teacher or leader? These are lofty aims and I work hard to achieve them every day.

Will I be remembered as a good husband and father? I have worked hard to accomplish this but have I done the right things?

Have I been a friend when needed? Am I someone who is there in good times and bad? It is good to have friends and to be a friend.

What kind of impact have I had in other people’s lives? I once had a young man come up to me in a grocery store and thank me for being his Boy Scout Leader years ago and that I had made a difference in his life. Recently I had a man thank me for being his mentor in the past and giving him the courage to try new things. This felt good, but have I been able to influence others.

Yet, the true test of our impact on other people’s lives is not what we think we have done, but what other’s see in our life. There is a saying, “not just talk the talk, but walk the walk.” When someone looks at my daily life what do they see? The way I handle myself daily is my greatest witness. In the end it doesn’t matter what I say I have done but what I actually did each and every day.

People are watching our every move. It is not only your friends and family that are watching you but strangers, people you hardly know. Your entire life serves as a witness to everyone you come in contact with, even people you are just passing in street. As is often said, “You may be the only Christ someone ever sees.” What do you want them to remember about you?

I hope when I die strangers are able to say, “He was a good Christian man.”

My prayer: “God, help me be more Christ like, more Christian, in every aspect of my life.”