Will I Be Remembered?
February 8, 2012 (Wednesday)
Had he lived, Charles Dickens would have celebrated his 200th birthday yesterday. As it has turned out, the characters in his stories have taken on lives of their own and are alive and well today. Ebeneezer Scrooge comes back to life every Christmas and Oliver Twist still begs for more gruel.Dickens and others like him created something that continues to “live” long after the deaths of their creators.
Dickens knew the satisfaction of making a lot of money with his creations and enjoyed the fame that came with his success. Others, like Vincent Van Gogh, were not so fortunate. He died in 1890 at age 37 and had sold only one painting, although he had created almost 900 paintings. After his death, he became one of the most famous painters in the world. Some of his paintings are so well known that even casual observers know their names, such as “Starry Night” and “Sunflowers.”
Earthly fortune and fame must give great satisfaction to those who have them. Great projects that remain long after the deaths of those who created them stand as testimony of valued creativity. May the Lord bless all those who have known such. But Jesus cautioned us to keep our eyes on Heaven as our permanent home and to store our treasures there. Jesus himself set the example for us. He had no earthly possessions to show for his 33 years here on earth. Why? Because all of his energy was used to serve his Father in Heaven, to whom he gave all the honor and glory. The Bible says “he went about doing good” (Acts 10:38 KJV). He invites us to follow in his steps.
We would do well to heed the example of the Apostle Paul, who said toward the end of his days on earth, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (1 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV). God remembers me, and that one fact is far more important than whether the world remembers me or not.