“A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.” – Ecclesiastes 7:1
We all want to start out well in life, don’t we? If we think of our lives as races, we want to start off strong, determined and ready to tackle the path before us.
But some of us have rough starts. Maybe it is the dysfunctional home we are born into. Maybe it was the death of a parent or sibling or maybe it was the verbal, physical or mental abuse… whatever the reason for the rough start at the beginning of some of our lives, we feel like we didn’t get our race of life started well.
Somewhere at the beginning of our race, we were tripped and have had a hard time recovering since.
I’m not sure what caused you to stumble early in your race but I want to encourage you with this:
“In the race of life, the start doesn’t matter as much as your finish!”
You may have tripped in the beginning….or maybe in the middle, but it’s okay. God has you and can still use you. Like a loving Father, He can pick you back up, brush the dirt off and send you back in. Don’t let the bumps, trips and mistakes of life keep you from running your race well and most importantly finishing well.
Whatever the reason you’ve struggled in your race, I want you to know this: There is always hope in Jesus.
Solomon shares that “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.” Ecclesiastes 7:1
In other words, it’s important to leave a good legacy and how we end our lives is better than how we began them.
Now there is one particular woman in the Bible who knows something about the importance of fine perfume…Mary of Bethany.
Despite the hardship she may have experienced with the passing of her parents earlier in her life, she carries a “good name”.
When we hear “Mary of Bethany” we remember how she “choose the better thing” and sat at Jesus’ feet rather than fuss about dinner preparations. Our what about that time when she anointed Jesus’ feet not only with expensive perfume, but also with her tears, Mary ran her race of life with passion and purpose.
Mary of Bethany lived her life in such a way that her legacy still inspires Christians to this day. Mary of Bethany has a “good name” and her legacy lives on well after her death.
“I tell you the truth, wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:9
Now lets contrast Mary of Bethany’s name to that of Judas Iscariot, the very one who got upset with Mary for “wasting” the perfume on Jesus and instead stating she should have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor…even though he was the keeper of the money bag and would help himself to whatever was donated. (John 12:6)
Judas sounds like he may have had a good start at life. He was given the name “Judah” which means, “praise”, when he was born. This important name belonged to the royal tribe in Israel. But despite his great start at life, he ends up taking some wrong turns along the way and ends up finishing his race by being paid to betray Jesus and ultimately ends up taking his own life. Judas’s name is ruined because of how he ran his race and the choices he made along the way. He took what started out as a very honorable name and made it one that is despised.
Two different names, two different races, two different legacies.
While we don’t always want to focus on death, the fact of the matter is every one of us will one day die. What legacy is your “good name” going to leave behind? One that tells the story of an amazing God and the mighty work He did through your life? I sure hope so!!!!
Sweet friends, how we run the race of life matters. The day of our deaths is better than the day of our births because while we can’t control how our lives start out, we can choose to focus our lives on the Lord and run for His glory.
Let’s Talk: Share with us someone in your life who has run his or her race well. What choices did they make in their lives to result in them having a “good name” and leaving a powerful legacy?
Love God Greatly!
Week 5 Challenge:
In your journal, write down how you’d like to be remembered. What type of legacy would you like to leave behind? What steps do you need to take today to move toward building that legacy?
Week 5 Video:
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Week 5 Reading Plan:
Week 5 Memory Verse:
An elderly couple (97 and 92) are very dear friends of ours. I’ve known them since I was 16 and they’ve become like another set of grandparents to me. They used to come watch my run, they came to my high school and college graduations, my wedding and both of my daughters dedication services ( he actually performed the service for my second daughter). They’re a couple I look up to SO much! They are so godly and sweet and encouraging! They’ve lived their life well. It hasn’t always been easy but they’ve persevered. They’ve lived with a focus on God all the time. They are so prayerful about everything. They’re devoted to prayer and bible study. You know that you can count on them to pray for you and to have a word of encouragement! They always see God’s hand at work. They rarely complain and if they do they’re quick to stop themselves and find a way to see God at work in the situation. They’re so amazing!, they’ve aged so gracefully. They still live in their own house and are so sweet in how they care and love for one another and just celebrate every day together. They remind me so much of my paternal grandparents who both passed within the last four years. Maybe that’s another reason they’re so special to me! My grandparents were much the same way. They lived simple lives focused on service to God and others, they were devoted to prayer and bible study and they too could see God always at work. See a theme with these lives well lived.?! Simplicity, devotion to prayer and bible study, always looking to see God at work, not giving into complaining, living each day to its fullest. That’s the kind of life I want to live!
that is a wonderful story lauren!! you’re lucky to have a mentor couple like that in your life. it’s a great example to live by and follow! i am one who tends to lean towards complaining when things aren’t going right. i need to learn to step back and view the situation like this couple. how much happier that will be!!
Ohhh Lauren,
They sound wonderful!!! What an encouraging couple to model your life after! Isn’t it nice to hear the powerful example of living life simply. A life just focused on God and living for His glory. THANK YOU so much for sharing them with us!!!!
My Mamaw passed away nearly a year ago at the age of 90. At her funeral person after person came up to tell how in their youth they had spent time at my grandparents house in the summer doing work and how their lives had been influenced for the good by them. She was a Godly woman who loved others and shared what little she had with others. She was born into a poor farming family. She quit school in 8th grade and never even had her drivers license but she lived life well.
Ahhh she sounds amazing, Lacey! Though we may see what we do in our homes as “small” ways to serve God…it actually is the opposite. LOVE hearing this testimony….it encouraged this mama’s heart too!:) Thanks!
My grandma was a simple woman. She was born into wealth which was robbed from her by WWI, she lived horrible years of terror during that time. She left the “old country” and started life anew in the US. She was proud to be here, proud to be a citizen, proud to be able to vote. She fell in love and married my grandpa and had three children which were all raised to live successful lives. I remember her most though for her love. With not much money she made sure there was a handmade present under the tree for each of her 8 grandchildren. I still have most of mine. They represent the love she had and wanted to show and give. All of her grandchildren loved her back every bit as much as she loved us. There is never a time we don’t talk about her when we get together. Her love was rooted in her deep faith in God and she made sure we were dressed up and ready to walk to church every Sunday. What she showed us was the love of God through her love for us.
Ohhh Karen!!!
Your grandma sounds lovely!!! What an amazing legacy of love she left behind for all of you to emulate! What a blessing you had in her! So very, very happy for you and thankful for her and the role she played in your life!:)
Such fond memories of my grandma too. She saved so she could give to everyone, only bought what was on sale, opened her home to neighbors and always had goodies ready for anyone who dropped in, was always in church, helped with VBS even in her elderly years. I want to love people well, and be remembered for God’s power working through my life and prayers. Oh to continue upward and onward:)
Tootsie!
Ohhh your grandma sounds so wonderful too!:) Thank you so much for sharing your example with us too!
Ahhh just reading through all your comments and testimonies, I’m just reminded tonight of how important it is to live simply….loving others well. Loving friends. Loving our families. Opening our homes. So many times we feel like we have to do these really BIG things for God and yet, look at all the testimonies. They are all women who loved those best who were in their lives, in their homes, in their families.
Thank you so much Lauren, Lacey, Karen and Tootsie for sharing your grandmas and friends with us!!!!
I love your blog and these studies!
I just want to mention that the “Marys” you mention aren’t one and the same.
Mary of Bethany is, of course, the Mary in Bethany who chose to sit at Jesus’ feet.
But the Mary who brought the perfume did NOT have a “good name” — she was a sinner they all recognized as a sinner, which is part of the significance of her washing and annointing Jesus’ feet and the Pharisee rebuking him (silently) for not recognizing her. (Found in Luke 7)
It doesn’t change your good words in this blog; it’s just one less reference that fits.
Blessings to you all!!
My grandma is a prayerful one..and we always connected because she never get tired of praying each member of our family. The time I got my first job Im so excited to inform her, but in my surprise she told me apo (grandchild) I always pray for you to get a job..I cried that time, bec my lola (grandma) touch my heart not to stop praying and trusting the Lord in all circumstances..she prayed for my tito (uncle) to know the Lord and to surrender his life to the guidance of the Lord. And for many years of praying my tito totally surrender his life to the Lord and he serve the Lord together with his family..im thankful that the Lord gave us a lola who pray without ceasing..and to God be the glory!
Marive from Philippines
Thank you
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