If the final knock on the door of your life sounds today, will you be ready to meet your Maker? Would you be able to say without a shadow of doubt that you maximized your God-given talents and you’re leaving behind a good legacy for your children’s, children’s, children? Will you smile at the thought of the numerous lives you impacted or fall on your knees in desperation and plead with our Lord to give you another chance to complete the divine assignments you allowed procrastination to cast a spell of latency?
Some time ago, a friend told me an interesting story of a pair of twin sisters. I pondered on it for a while and want to share it with you.
From what my friend described, the older twin was quite cantankerous, malicious, unforgiving, and bitter like a shriveled lemon. She felt life dealt her a sour blow and spent a good amount of time nagging, grumbling, and picking a fight at the slightest provocation. She hardly recognized anything positive in anyone outside of herself and her children. To add salt to the injury her character inflicted on her, she married a man who treated her badly. Although, she was warned by relatives and friends not to marry him because of his reputation, their pleas fell on deaf ears. She felt they were too jealous to stomach her happiness.
After her marriage packed up, her aura emitted toxic beams. She spent many hours throwing pity parties and pouring her tales of woe into any willing ear.
On the other hand, her twin sister was completely opposite. She was cheerful, friendly, and a big giver whose heart and wallet accommodated the needs of many family members, friends, and strangers. After graduating from college and getting her first job, she used her salary to look after her aged grandmother, the widows in her church, and a few orphans. It was while doing this she met and married a wonderful husband who celebrated every day of their years together. Their blissful union was blessed with two children that had exceptional educational, moral, and spiritual caliber. By the time she was in her sixties, she had made a remarkable difference in the lives of many people. From paying school fees, providing for the needy, encouraging and praying for others, the stamp of her generosity was conspicuous in the life of her beneficiaries.
At the age of 75, both sisters died just one week apart. Can you guess which of them got a befitting burial and which one had a funeral that people grudgingly attended? One left a good name and a great legacy and the other left unfinished quarrels, a pile of debts and nothing for her children, much less her grandchildren.
During preparations for her burial, people struggled to contribute to the fundraiser for her funeral expenses. She had stepped on many toes – a few were still nursing the agony from her nonchalance.
It was different in her twin’s case. People freely dipped their hands into their pockets and blessed her children with cash and any service they could render. Her random seeds of kindness spoke for her. It was an encouraging “paying-it-forward” story to watch in action.
Am sure you’ve already figured where am I going with this narrative.
We are all running a race. How we end it matters – the ultimate icing on of cake of our lives. The story of these twin sisters should provoke a soul searching exercise in all of us. We need to take inventory of how we are running our individual race.
Are we persistently fighting, making the life difficult for others? Or, we are loving and repeatedly striving to make life better for others even when things are going south in our lives?
No matter how small or inconsequential your effort is at making it better for others, see it as a deposit that will one day yield interest. We are called to serve others; we should see it as a lifestyle and not a chore. It is time to break the “Me, myself, and I” yoke. Too many people are suffering – now is the time to lend a helping hand.
Start with whatever you have even if it is a prayer or a smile. Feed the hungry, clothe the needy, pray for the persecuted and those who persecute you. Remember the poor, the widows and orphans and always remember to do unto others what you want others to do unto you. So when your time comes, you will assured you ran your race to the best of your ability.
If your presence doesn’t make an impact, your absence won’t make a difference.
Why not make it count today?
May Oyairo is the Founder and Publisher of MannaEXPRESS.
1 Comment
Nice one May, making it count ought to be a lifestyle.