The Most Beautiful Thing

I saw the most beautiful thing yesterday.

It started at a “Celebration of Life” service. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it’s another term for a funeral–except I would say that we celebrate the life of the deceased at this kind of service instead of mourning the loss of their presence.

The lady who passed away was a friend of ours, the Sunday School teacher of all of our children, and a loving friend and mentor to many others. Proof: the church was packed. (Our church was more full for her service than it is on Christmas Eve!). It truly was a beautiful sight.

I’m not sure whether her family had planned the funeral for her, or if she already had plans in place before she passed, but you could tell that it was planned down to the last letter. It makes me wonder how much it cost. Although you could say that money wouldn’t have been a problem if she had spoken to a professional similar to Advisor Kim Wilhelm and had a Final Expense Insurance plan to her name. I know many others who have taken this step. If you ask me, everyone should have it, as it will take the pressure off your loved ones when it comes to planning your funeral and paying for it.

Either way, the turnout for this wonderful lady was truly mesmerizing.

While the turnout for her service in and of itself was a powerful testament the the legacy she left, it wasn’t the most beautiful thing.

The most beautiful thing wasn’t a church full of people singing Sunday School songs together in her honor.

And the most beautiful thing wasn’t that she had made it known that she wanted an altar call at her funeral. Though the desire to have one certainly is beautiful.

The most beautiful thing was the fact that her life and her legacy actually prompted people to stand up and say yes to God. Yes to Jesus. Yes to salvation. Yes, I want to make a difference. Yes, I want to leave that legacy. Yes, I want to save lives. Yes, yes. Yes!

Oh my goodness. You should have been there to see all of the people who proceeded to the altar.

I don’t know how many were just starting a new chapter in their long-held walk with Jesus. I don’t know how many accepted Him for the first time. I don’t know stories. But there were tears, and there were hugs, and it was beautiful.

I came home reminded that I don’t just want to be here and then someday die.

I never have wanted just that.

I have always wanted to make a difference. I have always wanted to bring others into a closer relationship with Christ. But now the flame has been rekindled.

Now I just have to figure out how God wants me to do it. I feel like I’m on the right path, but I can’t wait to get to the next step. To find out what the next part of the journey is. To meet the next life I touch.

You know, everyone you come into contact with is a potential life touched. I used to stop at a convenience store every morning before work to pick up an energy drink, and I’ll never forget the morning that the cashier asked me why I’m so happy all the time. At that time in my life, it was the joy of the Lord bubbling over into the life of someone else–a stranger. Yet another life touched. I’ll never know how I made a difference in his life. Maybe my short testimony led him on a spiritual journey that changed his life. Maybe my smile brightened his day.

Maybe kind words will bring someone away from the brink of depression. Maybe one random act of kindness will save someone’s life. Maybe one word will be all the difference in the world for one person who can touch many others.

How will you be remembered? What legacy will you leave? How will you touch the life of one more person today? I’d love for you to share in the comments below. I’d also love if you would share on social media using the hashtags #legacy and #themostbeautifulthing.