![[Photo of a Scripture verse]](https://www.deankwilson.com/Blog_images/Proverbs_10_7.jpg)
| “The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” |
| —Proverbs 10:7 |
Do you have some favorite memories? Maybe you remember some critically important incident in your life. Perhaps you remember a vacation your family took when you were a child. You might remember the birth of a child. You could also remember the death of a loved one. You might think about the time your boss complimented you in front of your peers. You might remember the very day and hour when you recognized the gift God had given you in salvation through His Son, Jesus.
Memories play an important role in our lives. I’ve found, as I have reached old age, that certain memories tend to flood back into my mind at the most unusual and unexpected times.
My parents have both gone home to be with the Lord more than thirty years ago. Even so, at the most unpredictable times, I will suddenly be overwhelmed with a strong sense of grief and loss. Tears will flood my eyes. I will feel a deep sadness and longing in the core of my being. I will feel once again the way I felt when I learned that each of my parents had gone home to heaven.
Long ago, I recognized that when we lose someone we love dearly, the pain of loss never really goes away. In fact, that pain is not supposed to go away. We may adjust so that the pain is not as sharp nor as fresh. But, from time to time, the pain of loss will reassert itself in a surprising way.
This is also true for memories of unusually pleasant experiences. Certain events in our lives that brought us great joy, or excitement, or a strong sense of well-being will also rise to the surface and re-assert those feelings once again.
Yes, memories do play a very important role in our lives. King Solomon recognized this when he wrote these words found in Proverbs 10:7:
The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
Solomon liked to make comparisons. Here he balances against each other the memories held by those God has made righteous and the names of the wicked.
If you think about that, certainly the names of individuals who we have learned were evil have continued to be held in great disdain. The name “Adolf Hitler” evokes a visceral reaction from anyone who has studied the atrocities he ordered during World War II.
The absolute and utter horror of the extermination of over six million Jews will be long remembered by generations to come. It’s more than a little sad that today some use the name, “Adolf Hitler,” as a description for anyone whose political philosophy or policies they don’t like. Hitler needs to remain the name of one specific person only—the man who brought about such unspeakable horror that the world must never, ever forget what terrible things he did. Such foolish use of this terrible name says far more about the people who use the name in this way than it does about the people being labeled with this despicable name.
Let’s remember this day those times in our lives when we had a strong sense of Christ’s Presence. Let’s recall those instances when God seemed very close and extended His mercy, grace, and love in some very special way.
In fact, if we look daily for His hand, we will see Him at work in our lives. These memories will become precious to us. And, they will mean all the more as we grow older.
Memories play an important role in our lives. Let’s go about making some new and valuable memories this very day.
