The Dash Matters

When my sister died quite suddenly years ago, I realized that life was too short to be wasted. It was her death that spurned me towards wanting to do my best in every endeavor God led me to undertake. Even though her life was short—she lived amazingly with an attitude of serving others. Many people shared stories of her impact on their lives with our family. The dash between her birth and death is just a short hyphen, but it was rich in love and service.

Unless Jesus comes back, every one of us will have a dash written somewhere—in the obituaries, gravestone, or in a funeral home brochure. The dash matters! What we do today and what we did in the past is what will be remembered by family and friends. The dash will also be scrutinized in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ. We will all give an account of how we lived out our days. (Romans 14:12) Since this is true, how will our dash look?

Will our dash resemble the rich and encouraging words we said to others? Or will it resemble hurtful gossip, slanderous jokes, or divisive speech?

Will our dash resemble righteous and humble acts of service not just to our loved ones, but also to those who are in need? Or will our actions reveal self-serving pursuits towards material gain, people admiration, and recreational pleasures?

Will our dash resemble a heart filled with love and concern for the lost? Or will it reveal a judgmental, cold response to those who are deceived by Satan?

The dash between our beginning and end doesn’t have to be a useless symbol of a wasted life. Instead, the dash can represent a fruitful and rich life in Christ. If we live with the dash in mind, we can have confidence on the day we stand before God.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunity to live my life. Help me to live life to the fullest every single day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In His Service,

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