Vital signs-Wednesday,July1st,2020

We all want to live a long life. But more important than the number of our years is what we fill them with.

Like most every headstone, yours will likely be marked with the same thought-provoking inscription. Somewhere below your name will be your birth date on the left and the date you died to the right. But the most important symbol will be the dash in between those two numbers. You see, the dates will indicate when you lived and for how long. But the dash will reflect the life you lived.

Some people strive to fill their years with meaning and purpose. Other people just live a really long time. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think the desire to live a long life is something we all understand. But none of us are guaranteed even one more day. So it’s important to fill this moment – and every moment – with things that matter. When all is said and done, that boils down to faith in Christ, a strong relationship with your family, and pouring your life into others.

What will the dash on your headstone symbolize about the years you were given? A life filled with meaning that honors Christ and fulfills His purposes? Or just the number of years between two dates? Evan Esar once said, “You can’t do anything about the length of your life. But you can do something about its width and depth.” I think he’s right.

“For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭AMP‬‬