As he stood before the historic trophy, he said to himself, “Someday I’m going to add my name to the list of legends.” Becoming the college tennis champ was his highest goal in life at that time. Nothing mattered to him more than that. Dobson lettered in tennis all four years, and just as he dreamed, his name was inscribed on the big trophy. He was happy to know that future generations of students would stand at that display case and read his name on it.
Fifteen years later, he received a phone call from a friend who had visited the college. By chance he found the tennis trophy that had Dobson’s name engraved on it in the dumpster! The athletic department decided to get rid of the less significant trophies to make room for their new displays. That trophy, which meant so much to him, was now just a piece of junk no one wanted. Dr. Dobson concluded, “If you live long enough, life will trash your trophies.” (James Dobson, Life on the Edge, 59-61)
Many people want to make a name for themselves so they’ll always be remembered. But the fact is, not long after you die, no one will even remember that you lived on this planet. “For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten” (Eccl. 2:16). Instead of living to glorify your name, live to glorify God’s name. “The world is passing away…but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).
No one will remember you after you die, but if you’ll live to please the Lord, He will remember your name throughout eternity.
www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net
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BIBLE STUDY: Why
do the gospels list different names for the disciples?
