May 7, 20007

“What Will They Say About You?”

I have just returned from the spring meeting of the Council of Bishops of our United Methodist Church. An important part of every gathering of the Council of Bishops is our Memorial Service where we remember and celebrate the lives of those bishops and spouses who have died since we last met. Last week’s Memorial Service included a very meaningful time of remembering Bishop Leroy Hodapp, who died last May. Bishop John Hopkins offered a very thoughtful eulogy, and we all remembered Leroy’s life, ministry, and legacy.

As we remembered Bishop Hodapp and several others, I found myself wondering, “What will they say about me?” All of us are mortal, all of us will be memorialized some day, and all of us will have friends, family, and loved ones who will speak of our lives. What will they say?

Certainly we should not live our lives in order to be celebrated and treated with some kind of celebrity status. We don’t live our lives as Christian disciples in order to be rewarded with the words or praises of others. But still, what will people say about my life someday? And what will people say about your life someday?

Reflecting upon that question has given me opportunity to think anew about my own faith, my values, and my commitments. In particular it has afforded me some time to think about my “legacy” – what do I hope my life will leave behind, not in terms of material goods or achievements, but as a legacy of faithfulness? I hope that I will be remembered for my love of my family, my commitment to Christ and the church, my passion for reaching the unchurched, and my challenge for the church to grow in mission and outreach. Those are the values which matter most to me and that is the legacy I hope to offer.

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, and as we anticipate the Memorial Services at our upcoming Annual Conference Sessions here in Indiana, perhaps it is a good time to reflect upon our own lives. What kind of legacy will we leave behind? What will they say about us?

from Bishop Michael J. Coyner

Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church
"Making a Difference ... in Indiana
and around the world"

TOP OF PAGE