Somewhere recently I heard of an entrepreneur who takes New Year’s resolutions more serious then most. He takes the last few days of the calendar year envisioning himself on his deathbed. Not just thinking about it, but imagining himself taking his final breaths. He does so to evaluate his life and plan for the coming year.
Because I caught the end of the story, I did not hear who this man was or any other pieces of information concerning him. So, I did a brief search. I did not find anything. What I did discover, however, is that this man’s yearly routine has a name. It is called “The Deathbed Test.”
It is quite simple. It goes something like this. Knowing your life is hours from ending, (1) you evaluate who you are, (2) what you have accomplished, (3) and how you are likely to be remembered.
Then you reflect upon your answers. Do you like what they reveal? If you do, keep going. If you do not, do something about it.
So, take the test. No need to wait until the end of the year either. In fact, the test should be one we take often. “Examine yourselves,” writes the Apostle Paul, “to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
There is more Scripture demanding us to do so. “But let each one test his own work…” (Galatians 6:4). The context being that Christians are to examine themselves as individuals before God, rather than drawing false confidence from comparisons with others. In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul encourages his understudy to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed…”
And from Jesus, perhaps uttering some of the most frightening words he ever spoke:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”
(Matthew 7:21-23)
Can you imagine Jesus saying that of you? If so, it is adjustment time.
In Luke 16, Jesus tells the parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” The rich man is guilty of living his life without thought. He is self-absorbed. The rich man simply goes about his day. It is easy to do. The cares of the world steal our attention. The immediate takes priority. We live for the moment. The peril of such living manifests itself as the rich man loses everything—his life and his soul. Selfishness made him blind to his own folly. And his folly sealed his fate.
Socrates famously said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Robert Frost penned in one of his poems, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Words to remember.
But Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 offer a better reminder:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…”
(vv. 3-12)
Envision those words said of you on your deathbed. That is a test score I would like to receive.
Pastor Rich Hamlin
July 3, 2025