Rather, as friends and family are gathering to celebrate my life whenever Jesus calls me home, I hope and pray they are steadily talking about how much I loved Jesus and strived to make Him known to all around me. I hope they sit around sharing stories about times when I trusted God and stepped out in faith to follow after Him, and I pray they can tell about times when God used me to move them closer toward Him. 

Hebrews 12 shares post-life remarks about many great heroes of the faith. It tells of the risky yet remarkable faith shown by Abraham, Moses, Noah, Rahab, Joshua and more. For example: 

• • By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. -Hebrews 11:5
  • By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. -Hebrews 11:7
  • By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. -Hebrews 11:24-26
  •  By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. -Hebrews 11:31

My favorite verse in this inspiring chapter is about Abel. It says: 

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. -Hebrews 11:4

Because Abel made an offering that demonstrated his trust in and love for God, which you can read about more in Genesis 4:1-5, we are still talking about Abel’s faith today, even though he is long gone. As The Message translation puts it, “After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice.” I want my faith to continue speaking to people after I’m gone! So that it might be said of me that I still speak, even though I am dead. …and that my “speaking” would be words about Jesus, His kingdom and the eternal, certain hope He promises.

If you went to be with Jesus today, what would people be saying about you tomorrow? Here are a few questions I’m reflecting on to challenge myself to live by faith and make Jesus known to the world around me:

• What did you do or say today that had eternal value? 
• Would any of your friends, neighbors or coworkers be surprised to find out that you’re a Christian? If so, what changes do you need to make so they know you are a follower of Christ? 
• How could you deepen one of the relationships in your life and add an eternal element to it? What small step can you take today to bring Jesus into that relationship? 
• What five words would the people you know be most likely to describe you? Do any of those words directly relate to your faith in Jesus? What changes can you make so that your words indicate a life lived making Jesus known? 
• What five words do you hope people use to describe you once you’ve entered into eternity with Jesus? What did you do today that aligns with each of those words? What do you need to do differently tomorrow with this thought in mind? 
• Who can you ask to help hold you accountable to this mission?

If you’re not being carefully intentional about what you think, say and do each day, then you’re just running aimlessly, as 1 Corinthians warns against. Do yourself (and the people around you) a favor, and stop to think about how you want to be remembered once you’ve crossed your earthly finish line. Then, let that guide and direct you—every minute and every hour of every day. 

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve lost three loved ones unexpectedly in the past year. But I also lost my 93-year-old grandmother, who was so very ready to walk into Jesus’ presence. She had 93 long years to build a legacy, and she built and left behind a legacy of faith that I aspire to one day. At her visitation and funeral service, friends and family members spoke about her eternal impact on their lives. Whether as a Sunday School teacher, a prayer partner, a Bible study leader or a Christlike example, my grandma spent a lifetime making Jesus known through her decision, words and actions. She left a legacy of faith that formed an unshakeable foundation for my family to build and live upon. 

May the legacy you leave behind be one of eternal value! It is no exaggeration to say that in the grand scheme of life and the history of the universe, nothing. else. matters.