Leaving on a good note rarely happens.
This is how Paul left the letter of 1 Corinthians
16:23-24…”The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in
Christ Jesus. Amen.”
This past week I had a friend Matt Troyer move from his
church to a new church where he felt God calling him to go. On Wednesday he had
a going away festivity at the church. It was awesome to see a good group of
people there to see him go. The church took up a collection for him. People
stood up and had nice encouraging words for him and his family as they left.
How often do we get to leave on a good note?
Most people don’t leave on a high note. I think of
professional football and it’s rare someone leaves when they are on top of
their game. Often they weren’t the star player and got cut. I remember stud
Brian Urlacher and when he retired this past year in part no team really wanted
him. Tim Tebow just wanted another chance to show he was a winner. I remember
when Barry Sanders retired and thinking NO! He had good years left. It’s tough
to leave on a positive note. I think of people that retire way past there prime
or when someone gets laid off or cut and they were good employees. We often in
life don’t always get to leave on a good note. Sometimes it’s within our
control and sometimes it’s not.
Paul leaves his letter on a good note. He wrote the letter
trying to work on conflict that came up in the church and had to say some harsh
and be pretty blunt with the people. Through it all, he did it out of love.
Through all the conflict and harsh reminders he had to give he reminded them he
loved them.
When you leave do you leave on a good note? No matter what
Hailee and I have this agreement. Whether we are fighting or not, when we leave
each other whether it’s going to work or to pickup the kids from school to
leave saying I love you and meaning it. You never know when it’s your time to
go.
How can you leave on a good note? Whether it’s going to work/school
when was the last time you told those close to you, you love them? Paul ends
this letter on a good note. How are you going to leave?
Have a great day.
