RIP-ple

One day I am going to die. How’s that for an opening statement? Not a fun thought, no doubt. But it’s a real one. A friend of mine lost a mother over the weekend, and as I have been thinking about her and her family on my drive to Emporia yesterday, I got to thinking about some important things. Things that often only death can get you to think about.

When there is a death people often say or write, “R.I.P.” which stands for “Rest in Peace”. I’ve seen it on gravestones. I’m unsure of when we started using this phrase, but it speaks to all of our desire that when we die, we too might have peace and rest.

I decided yesterday, driving up KS Hwy 99, that I want my gravestone to read “RIP-ple”. My greatest fear is that my life would have no impact on this world or on the people that I care about most. That when my heart stops beating, there would be nothing to show for it. My greatest hope, is that the ripple effect of my life would carry on in the lives of other people and in the things I have invested my life into - long after I am gone.

I love throwing rocks. Growing up, I could stand on the river bank and throw rocks for hours. I learned to skip rocks from my Dad and love seeing them glide across the water. Even after the rock is no longer visible, you can still see the impact - the ripples that rock created on the water.

My hope for you, as well as myself, is that your life, when it is all said and done, has an unbelievable ripple effect as well. How you live, how you love, and how you lead others today matters. May we reflect Christ in all things, that our lives would bring glory to Him, and have a positive impact on the lives of those He has placed in our path.