Theory or Testimony #369

Theory or Testimony #369

If you’d like to hear this message instead of reading it, tune in to the Living Your Legacy Podcast.

In Scripture, there are countless examples of what we today call funerals. Did you know there were also mourners or “weepers” who were brought in to comfort the grieving families? Many people would gather at the homes for long periods of time.

I struggle with the idea of having professional mourners at a funeral now. If my family member passed away, I don’t want another person to help me be sad. I’ll have that covered. The thought of my funeral did get my attention eleven years ago when I wondered how many people would be crying at mine. I understand that it's a difficult question to answer, let alone think about, because we hope that the funeral home will be filled with countless mourners and the graveyard flooded with cars.

Did you know that there have been studies on this very topic? Researchers polled thousands of funeral directors and, based on the data, named their findings the funeral theory. Funeral directors suggested that only ten people cry at the average funeral, regardless of the attendance. They also revealed that the weather plays a significant part in who actually attends the burial. We won’t know, of course, but we can make some changes now to change the average.

The funeral theory can bind you if you continue to live a life constantly trying to please others or following someone else’s direction, which keeps the real you from being seen. It keeps your gifts or talents from being given. Now, I am not saying that other people don’t matter because they do. I just don’t want you to live for people’s opinions ahead of whose opinion matters most, and I surely don’t want your family to hire professional mourners.

You can also embrace the funeral theory and let it motivate you. Start by making people feel better when they’re around you. Build them up. You can also cross the road or go out of your way to help someone in need. Try showing love to one person just by listening to their heart instead of rushing through their words. You can love others like you’re loved or forgive someone like you’ve been forgiven. Simple actions make a big difference.

Most importantly, you can live in a way that reflects the light of Christ in your everyday. God has given every believer a testimony through His Son, Jesus, that can be visible in our thoughts, words, and deeds. The testimony from God that lives in your heart is greater than any theory or opinion from man. So let it shine so others can blessed by the glow.

In conclusion, your legacy is a living testimony being lived in the lives of your family, friends, and all those people that you’ve impacted. The good news is that you can change your past testimony by living the legacy you were created to live today. A legacy that echoes through future generations and through eternity.

There’s more to living a legacy than a theory. So visit lighthouselegacies.com and I’ll show you. Also, check out the Living Your Legacy Podcast.