To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Most products that we purchase these days have an expiration date stamped somewhere on the item. It rarely says, “product expires by”, but rather uses terms such as “best if used by” or “don’t use after”. Producers have learned that people react more positively if the word “expires” isn’t used.
When I was growing up, we had tons of fresh vegetables that we either canned or froze to eat later. Our Mama was always insistent on writing or stamping the date the products were frozen or canned on the outside of the package or can. My Daddy, on the other hand, always said that these particular items had no expiration date because they were fresh grown, picked, and processed! My children and grands know that I agree with my Daddy – if they smell good and aren’t over a year out of date – they are fine!
We don’t use the word expire much in our world today because it frightens us to ponder the reality that each of our lives has an expiration date. A gentleman in my water aerobics class put a perfect spin on it last week. He was looking at the twenty plus people there and said, “Look at all these old people trying to stay young. Sometimes you wonder if they know that we all have an expiration date?”
Later than same morning, I happened to walk by his wife as she was sitting in a chair waiting for him to come out of the locker room. I remarked that it was quite a difference in our lives now as husbands had spent most of their lives waiting on us and now we have to wait on them. We laughed, and I left.
The next week as we were waiting to start class, I noticed that she was there, but he was not. When I asked about him, her answer was not what I expected. She said, “My husband has been fighting colon cancer for ten years, and some mornings he moves more slowly than others. He will be here when he can. I am just so grateful that he is a survivor! He can take as long as he wants, because I will wait on him as long as he needs.”
God shows up in unlikely ways and circumstances to help us discover our cause and our legacy in this life. As we approach the later years of our lives, we realize that it’s not what you do that matters, but what you do for others. This sweet wife is leaving the legacy of her tender care and love to her husband and their family.
When our life’s sole focus is self interest, we won’t be missed when we are gone or we won’t be missed for the right reason. We all need to find a cause greater than ourselves, one that will out live us, and pour ourselves into it.
We don’t get to choose the moment of our arrival or departure here on earth. We do, however, have a chance to choose what our legacy will be. For what would we like to be remembered?
My mind and heart go to the American soldiers who lost their lives last week in Kabul defending those people and our country. Even though we don’t know their individual stories, we all know that they left quite a legacy for their families. Even though they lived each day with the possibility of the sacrifice they might have to make, I’m sure in the last few days of their lives in that dangerous situation, the possibility of their expiration date became very real. My prayer is that each of them would know how much this country values their service and their legacy.
Randy and I lost a dear friend and faithful servant of God on Tuesday. Dr. Med Roach, a Methodist minister and long time friend, died peacefully but much too soon. As we spoke with other minister friends, everyone lamented the same thing, “We all thought he would be here longer, and we would get a chance to see him again.” God’s expiration date is not based on our thoughts, hopes or timing. Fortunately, Med has left a legacy in each church he served and in every life of those he touched. God’s causes were always His priority. He certainly left a legacy of faithful service of God and love for God to his family and friends.
As the twentieth anniversary of 911 looms before us this week, and we remember all the men and women who died; some in service and others just going about their daily lives, the advice I would have for us all is, “don’t let your expiration date sneak up on you. Find a cause greater than yourself. Don’t just leave a will, leave a legacy that fulfills God’s will. ”
(Photo was copied, but look closely at the clouds.)