Finishing Well - The Believer's Bucket List

In 2007, Rob Reiner directed “The Bucket List,” a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill men. Meeting in a cancer ward, they escape and head off on a road trip with a wish list of “to-dos” before they “kick the bucket.” The movie arguably re-introduced this notion of a “Bucket List” of things to do before we each die. It’s become a slogan within our culture: “Here’s my Bucket List.” I know people who have made these lists and are working to complete them. A friend of mine in Atlanta has already hiked 400 miles on the Appalachian Trail, jumped from an airplane, and is taking guitar lessons.

It’s not a bad notion, really. It’s easy for life to become ho-hum. I remember when I worked at the South Carolina Baptist Convention. At various points of the year, we would get the exact same form-letter reminders from Accounting or Human Resources. On the calendar, there were the same “big events” occurring on the same days, and largely looking exactly as they did the year before. Within our families, it’s easy for Christmas celebrations to move from being traditional to simply tiring in their consistency and their habitual nature. I’ve never understood the folk who go on the same vacation to the same location at the same time . . . every year. I appreciate that consistency if they are happy, but it’s not a suit of clothes that would fit me well.

And, so The Bucket List causes us to pause, evaluate, and, where necessary, shake things up as best we can. We are never too old to try new things, learn new things, and experience new things. Lord, protect me from being the person who fades away. Believe me when I tell you: This old pirate may grow old in years, but I will never be an old man in spirit.

For the follower of Jesus, the idea of The Bucket List takes on another, larger dimension. It’s a dimension that trumps all the “see and do” we might add to an Earthly Bucket List. Certainly, there are things I want to do and places I want to see before I die, but Scripture calls me to a Bucket List of much more significance and for consideration.

The great disciple, Peter, on whom the church was built, writes in 1 Peter 4:7-11:

The end of the world is coming.

(1) Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

(2) Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

(3) Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

(4) God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you. (See Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, and Ephesians 4:11).

(4a) Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all your strength and energy that God supplies. Then, God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to Him forever and ever. Amen.

Peter reminds us that there is an urgency to getting up and moving forward. The end of the world is coming. (The NIV translation says it this way: “The end of all things is near.”) Our days are numbered, and there’s no guarantee for tomorrow. So, we should be busy in living each day to “finish well” in faith the life that we have been gifted. We shouldn’t over-focus on death and dying, but on living in faith the day at hand.

We should pray. To do that, we should be clear-minded and self-controlled, squaring ourselves with Jesus and God’s plan for our lives.

We should give up self in order to show “deep love” to others, and I believe that also includes our homes and families. There is no person on this planet that will come between my love for my Vicki, and then my love for my boys. Because if I am loving them fully, I am grounded in a place where I can deeply love all others.

We should practice hospitality, opening our homes to build relationships with people, letting them see the love for Jesus reflected in our “true selves” not just our “church selves.” Sadly, there’s a difference that really doesn’t have to be there.

As the Holy Spirit lives in us through our faith in Jesus, we are gifted by Him in specific ways. We have to learn about our gifts, embrace our gifts, and exercise them to bring glory to Jesus and point people to Him.

So, here’s my Bucket List. 

1. I want to be more faithful to mark and end each day with the name of Jesus. I do this through prayer – real conversation with the Savior who knows me by name.

2. I want to “say I love you” to more people, and to show my love to them by living through the pain of life with them. I want to put feet to my prayers.

3. I want to be found faithful to my Vicki, all the days of our lives together, not just in deed but in thought and in word. I want to live out a “set apart” marriage of Holy Matrimony, putting what she wants for our marriage above anything that I want for me.

4. I want to be a cross-centered coach for my boys, and for the families they begin one day. When I leave this world, I want to know they are in faith-based marriages, grounded in the fellowship of believers. What must I do now to prepare for that chapter? What must my life reflect to be that for them?

5. I want to be more hospitable, opening our home to people and getting to know them better. I want the circle of friendship to keep expanding. I want God to send people who can help me grow deeper in faith, and who I can encourage along their own faith journey.

6. I want to be more attentive to exercising my faith through the spiritual gifts provided by the Holy Spirit, and also by loving and serving others.

7. I want all of my relationships intact. I don’t want to leave this Earth in conflict with anyone – I want to be at peace with everyone, especially everyone within my family. I don’t want there to be poison among believers, and I don’t want my family poisoned to others within our family. I want there to be peace.

8. I want to be faithful and more supportive of the fellowship of believers all of my days – engaged and involved with my church and those believers with whom I am called to serve arm-in-arm.

9. I want to introduce others to Jesus. I want the Lord to send people to me who don’t know Jesus, and I want Him to use me as a door-keeper – someone to help others find the cross. I do not want to face my Savior having missed opportunity to share Jesus with those around me. 

10. If I am fortunate enough to see the end of my life coming, and know that final hour, I want to be surrounded by believers at the time of my death. I want believers holding my hands, praying, and handing me off to the arms of my Savior. I want to hear them whisper, “Here is your servant, Lord, and we will see you soon.” (Then, I want there to be the party of all parties).

               

As you contemplate your own bucket list – the one grounded in 1 Peter 4:7-11, remember there is no guarantee of the hour or moment when you and I shall leave this Earth for eternity. Our bucket list is not for our 70s or our 80s. It is for today. This day. This very day. Put an X on yesterday, and all the wrongs thins done and said; and, begin today your “Bucket List” toward finishing well.