The story is told of a certain Mr. Odd, a lawyer who hated his name with a passion. In fact he hated it so much that he had his own tombstone designed engraved with only an epitaph. He chose the brief words “Here lies an honest lawyer”. Well as the story goes, the lawyer died and the tombstone was erected just as he had requested. However his plans somewhat backfired as people would stop, read the epitaph and then be overheard to say “That’s odd!”.
I wonder what sort of epitaph you would like to have when you’re dead and gone? Very possibly you haven’t given it a moment’s thought. Well here is one from one of the kings of Israel back in the Old Testament portion of the Bible, it concerns a king by the name of Josiah:
“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did–with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength” (2 Kings chapter 23 verse 25)
Jesus himself re-worked this epitaph into what he called “The Greatest Commandment” but in doing so he added one extra dimension:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind…” (Luke chapter 10 verse 27)
Can you see it? Yes – that we must love God with all of our minds.
Some people seem to have the idea that Christianity must be for the mindless. The truth is Jesus demands we worship him with our minds. Let’s trust that when it comes to our epitaph we won’t find ourselves the “odd” one out – use yer loaf!
