May 19, 2025 How Long is a Good Life?
Monday, May 19, 2025
How Long is a Good Life?
Those who find their lives will lose them, and
those who lose their lives because of me will find them.
Matthew 10:39, CEB
A long life might not be good enough, but a good life is always long enough.
A pastor spoke these words at the memorial service for Marcus, an employee and 29-year-old gentle giant of a man. Every year since, on the anniversary of his death, friends and family recall his good life cut short by a senseless drive-by shooting.
The 6′ 3″ Tennessee Tech linebacker found Christ when 14-years-old and never stopped living out his faith. He spoke words of encouragement to the troubled and offered acts of kindness for the challenged. He adopted a fatherless five-year-old as his “little brother” and served as a role model in a young men’s ministry.
When I packed his desk at work, I found a note reflecting Marcus’ character. He wrote, “What do I want to do with my life? Help others turn their potential into reality.”
Sadly, Marcus did not live a long life, but his good life was long enough. He produced good fruit, unlike the fig tree, lush with leaves, that Jesus passed during his last week in Jerusalem. Since a fig tree produces fruit first, then leaves, Jesus walked toward it, expecting figs. Instead, he found the tree barren of fruit. It had produced nothing. Its long life was not good enough (Mark 11:12-14).
Periodically, something triggers my memory of Marcus, and causes me to reflect: what am I doing with my life? While adding another year, am I also adding life to my years? Am I tossing the “weeds” of a self-centered nature so that His Holy Spirit can enrich the soil of my heart with His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)?
Am I living a fruit-filled life that will be long enough, however long that is?
Reflect: How about you? Are you adding another year to life, or adding life to your year? How can you ensure that you live each day with purpose and meaning, regardless of the length of your days?
Pray: Loving God, Help me to live this day and every day using my time to serve others and bring glory to Your name. Grant me the wisdom to prioritize what truly matters and the courage to live with purpose, knowing that a good and fruit-filled life is always long enough when lived in Your name and for Your glory. In the name of the One who best modeled the good life, Jesus Christ, Amen.
By His Grace,
Gloria Ashby
Lay Leader