August 31 - Finish Well

August 31 - End Game 

What’s your end game? 

What do I mean by that? 

When it is all said and done, you are laying in your casket, your family and friends are gathered around, and someone gets up to describe your life. . . . What do you want them to say? Because in that moment, it’s too late to give them any cues. What they’ve seen and witnessed, how they have been treated, or heard you talk, it all comes down to those moments when people pull from the memories swirling around in their mind. 

A few years ago, our friend Nancy passed away from a sudden brain cancer that literally took days to overcome her. She had headaches at thanksgiving, went to the hospital and was in heaven by the beginning of December. It was one of the most shocking things Kristi and I have ever experienced. 

But let me tell you about a life well lived. At her funeral, we heard nothing but love and adoration of her. People shared stories about her goofiness, the way she would say what was on her mind - yet you felt loved when she did it, the way she smiled constantly and made everyone feel like she cared. But the thing that got me - everyone in the room thought they were best friends with Nancy. Not because she lied and told everyone they were her best friend, but because she lived and treated people as if they were her best friend. She loved people so unconditionally, that everyone came to her funeral with stories about how special she was to them. 

Nancy lived ready for an endgame. Not only that, she loved Jesus!!!! Or should I say, LOVES Jesus. 

I’ve also been at funerals where there was space given for someone to come up and say something about the recently deceased, and no one moved. . . There wasn’t a word spoken. And in the awkward silence, there was a sense of unfinished business, or broken relationships. 

We’ve been going through the sermon on the mount, and Jesus is about to give some words that define what the finish line looks like. Listen to Matthew 5:43-48

You have hear that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor an hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

See what the goal is here? 

Love so well, that even your enemies - or those who would make themselves your enemy - even those people walk away feeling loved by you. Anyone can love the easy to love. But it takes a special person to love everyone. What type of person does it take? One that lives out a life of beatitudes. ONe that is merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, someone poor in spirit, able to be meek. See, Jesus told you who to be. And now look, he is showing you the result. You become a person who knows how to properly love. 

And listen to how he ends this segment. 

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Ok! We can give up there, right? None of us are able to be perfect! So he’s trying to trap us! isn't he? 

No! 

The word perfect here comes from the Greek word teleios - which means to be brought to an end - a strong finish. Jesus isn’t calling you to keep from making mistakes or sinning. He is calling you to finish! To take all the beatitudes and live them out in a way that he can say, “Well done good and faithful servant.” 

So, I encourage you to start this new week, by restudying the beatitudes. Look them over and see what things stick out to you. What is it that you need to continue growing in so that you can finish well? 

And as you do, I pray that you learn what you believe and why you believe it to be true! 

Until tomorrow, I love you, and as you love everyone around you - even your enemy - May God Bless you!