Try Writing Your Own Obituary

One morning in 1888, Nobel, inventor of dynamite, the man who had spent his life amassing a fortune from the manufacture and sale of weapons of destruction, awoke to read his own obituary. The obituary was printed as a result of a simple journalistic error…Alfred’s brother had died, and a French reporter carelessly reported the death of the wrong brother.

Naturally any person would be disturbed to see his own obituary in the paper, but it was especially so to Alfred Nobel, because he saw himself as the world had seen him, “the dynamite king.” As far as the public was concerned, the entire purpose of his life was to make money from destruction. He was a merchant of death.

As he read his obituary with horror, Nobel resolved to change his image before the world, and the result was that the most valued of all prizes is now given for one who works hardest for peace. It is called the “Nobel Prize.”

What do you suppose the public would include in your obituary? It’s a strange question, but makes us think whether we have made it clear to all what our central concern in life really is.

“Here is a man who loved the Lord” would be a good epitaph. Or “Here is one who loved all people” would be another. Or what about the phrase, “In kindness she moved, in mercy she walked, in humility she lived.”? Why not write your own obituary? Make it the way you want it to sound, and then ask God to help you live so it can come true.

Nobody has to be a stinker! There is absolutely no reason anyone has to have a reputation for being evil, or a bully, or cruel. It is only as we will to do His will, that we achieve the great change in life that transforms our lives and makes it possible for our loved ones and even our enemies to say noble things about us in our passing.

I wouldn’t want to be caught dead with some of the things folks might say about me. How about you? Maybe it’s time we started to make some changes right now while we still have time.