I was reading 2 Chronicles recently in my devotions, and a line about Jehoram, king of Judah, made me think.  Jehoram was not a king who followed what God wanted for Judah.  He killed his brothers when he ascended to the throne and led the people in worship to other gods.  God punishes him with an incurable and very painful “disease of the bowels.”  When Jehoram is 40, after being king for eight years, he dies.  And 2 Chronicles 21:20 reports, “He passed away, to no one’s regret.”

Compare Jehoram to John McCain and the accolades being poured out for him.  Although the Republican party deserted him and he was vilified by the President, John McCain stayed true to himself.  Even though I never voted for him, I regret his passing because he was willing to stand against everyone else if he thought it was the right thing to do.  In an interview in September, John McCain said he hoped he would be remembered as a man who “served his country honorably.”  John McCain put honor before his party and I will always remember and respect him for that.

How will you be remembered?  Will anyone be sorry when you have passed away?  Are you making the world a better place and lifting up the people around you?  Or are you one of those constant complainers who is never happy with anyone or anything?  I’ve sometimes heard (and repeated) the old joke “There’s nothing wrong with that church that a few funerals wouldn’t fix.”  I always hope that mine isn’t one of the funerals people will be glad to have.

God calls us to a life of joy, love, and hope.  We aren’t called to this so we can gratify ourselves, but so we can edify the world.  There are so many dark places where we can bring light.  So many hurts that we can help to heal.  So many ways we can make a difference, even if on a small stage or in a small way.

I want to be remembered like John McCain – “she served God honorably.”  I don’t want to be passed over like Jehoram who passed away to no one’s regret.