At the point of his death, Alexander the Great purportedly summoned his generals and shared the following three wishes. These wishes provide profound insight for inner reflection:
The best doctors should carry his coffin.
The wealth he had accumulated in the form of money, gold, silver, precious stones, etc. should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery.
His hands should be let loose, hanging outside the coffin for all to see.
Here is how he explained the meaning behind his request. I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to show that, in the face of death, even the best medical care in the world cannot save you. I want my earthly treasures to be visible to show that, at the point of death, whatever we accumulate on earth stays on the earth. I want my hands to be exposed outside my coffin to demonstrate that I came into the world with empty hands, and I will leave with empty hands. As Christ followers, we easily give intellectual assent to these truths. Conversely, as we often share, it is incumbent on us that we accumulate savings for our future needs. Yet, in our stewardship journey, may we remember that our earthly portfolio will remain on earth. May we use our most precious resource—time—to invest in our eternal portfolio by knowing God and making Him known. Have Questions? We are ready to help you with biblical financial stewardship, contact us today! If you are not a BMA Financial Member we invite you to schedule a FREE financial assessment to see how we can help you manage God’s money, God’s way, for God’s glory!
Steve Crawley, PhD BMA Financial Executive Director
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