What Would Your Obituary Say?

A few decades ago, I took a College Psychology class during the summer quarter and one of the exercises was to write our own obituary.  Actually, we were to write two: one as if we were to die that day and the second if we died in ten years.  We then compared the two to see how much different they were.  I recall the first obituary I wrote; the cause of death was a car accident by a drunk driver.  In the second obituary, I don’t recall the reason for death but I said I was working for the company of Texas Instruments (looking at a calculator at the time, I guess), was married and had kids.

But this bears the question to the reader, if you could write your own obituary, what would it say?  Would you talk about your job?  Family?  Social groups?  What about your faithfulness to the Lord?

Some Bible Obituaries

        Let’s then look at some of the people of the bible and see how they lived their lives and how they died.  This might give you some ideas of how to live your life so that your own obituary might be worthwhile.

RACHEL—Gen. 35:16-21

        Rachel, whom Jacob loved, was given to him as a bride but she was barren and could bare no children.  Through pleading to the Lord her womb was opened and she bare him children.  But their relationship was a rocky one; besides the fact that Jacob took Leah as his wife as well.  Her sister bore him children in multitude and Rachel felt a pang of jealously even to the point of giving Jacob her handmaiden to bear him children.

        In the end, she died while giving birth to Benjamin.  Here’s the two verses that describe her death and burial, So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day. (35:19-20)

It’s ironic that although Rachel was the one whom Jacob chose, he sought to simply bury her at the side of the road before they continued their travels. Whereas Leah was buried in the family tomb (Gen. 49:31).

LAZARUS—John 11: 11-43

        Not much is known of Lazarus. He is the brother of Martha and Mary (vs. 23) and Jesus loved him (vs. 35-36). The point of this scene, however, was to show that Jesus had power over the grave and He would resurrect him, (vs. 25) even though Lazarus had been dead for four days (vs. 39). Lazarus got an extension on his life, but for how long we don’t know. His existence became a threat to the Pharisees because he was proof of the miracle that Jesus did. In chapter twelve, the story continues that Lazarus was present for a meal and many came to see him, to bare witness of the miracle that Jesus wrought.  The Pharisees plotted to kill him thus “hiding” the evidence of this miracle.

        In the end though, Lazarus died again (even though the scriptures don’t say anything) showing that all life must come to an end.

JUDAS ISCARIOT—Matt. 27: 3-5

        When you are first introduced to Judas Iscariot, the reader is made to dislike him right away.  In Matt. 10: 2-4 we are officially introduced to the twelve disciples of Jesus, “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.”  

Those last few words tell of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus Christ. It’s no mystery as to “Who did it,” the reader is made prejudice of him right away.

        Even when he betrayed Jesus, all he had to do was repent of his sin and beg for forgiveness, but instead he was so stricken with grief, to hand over an innocent man, that he went out and hung himself (vs. 5).

Hope in The Resurrection

        The examples given above are just a few of the numerous deaths recorded in scripture, yet we can learn from these especially when we understand the Death of Jesus. In Lk. 23: 44-46, his death is described: “And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, the sun's light failing: and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.  And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost.”      

Many mourned His death but when he returned from the grave, as He himself predicted, it brought hope for us in the afterlife and shows that death is only temporary. Through his death, burial, and resurrection we have hope for ourselves that we might live eternally in Heaven provided we live our life for God and His Kingdom.

Conclusion

        Once again the question is asked, ‘What would your obituary say’? How do you want to be remembered while you were here on Earth? From the examples above and others found within the pages of scripture we know how to live our lives according to the will of the Father and not unto our own selves.