What Will Be Written on Your Monument?

As we approach Memorial Day, we find ourselves surrounded by a sea of solemn reminders—flags placed with care, names etched into stone, families pausing to remember. Memorial Day isn’t just a date on the calendar; it’s a sacred space in our national memory, set aside to honor those who gave their lives in service to our country.

But as time moves forward, the weight of that memory seems to fade. A recent statistic revealed that only 27% of Gen Z (those ages 13–28) understand what Memorial Day is actually about. Compared to 56% of Baby Boomers, it's clear we’re losing touch with something important. In many schools, the day receives little more than a passing mention. Our culture increasingly forgets the cost of our freedom.

That’s why we remember. That’s why we teach. That’s why we pause.

Remembering the Fallen

Memorial Day is different from Veterans Day. Veterans Day honors all who served; Memorial Day is for those who never came home. They gave everything. On their gravestones—on their epitaphs—we find simple but powerful words:

He gave his life while serving his country.
Gone but never forgotten.
Courage is a beloved memory.
You gave your all.

Each phrase tells a story. Each stone bears witness to the sacrifice of a life given in service. And for many families, the grief still lingers—grandfathers, fathers, siblings, friends whose absence is felt year after year.

What Will Be Said of Us?

That reflection brings us to a deeper question: What will be written on our memorials?

If you're a Christian, what legacy will your life leave behind? What would your epitaph say?

Forgiven.
Heaven is her home.
Surrendered to Christ.
I’ll see you again.

But there’s one phrase that rises above them all. One sentence that captures the heart of every true believer:

“A life changed by Jesus.”

What could be more powerful? What more meaningful legacy could we leave than that?

A Changed Life Tells a Powerful Story

A changed life doesn’t just affect you—it transforms those around you. Your family. Your friends. Your coworkers. A life that has been touched by Christ becomes a living testimony.

Take C.S. Lewis, for example. At 14, he was a staunch atheist. But a friend invited him to church. Lewis encountered the gospel and was never the same. The man who once denied Christ went on to become one of the greatest Christian apologists of the 20th century, authoring works like Mere Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia—books that have pointed millions toward Jesus.

Or consider Lee Strobel, a former atheist and investigative journalist who set out to disprove Christianity after his wife came to faith. But as he watched her transformation and examined the evidence, he found himself overwhelmed by truth. He became a believer and wrote The Case for Christ, now a bestselling book and major motion picture.

Or Dr. Francis Collins, a leading geneticist and former director of the National Institutes of Health. Once an atheist, he encountered a terminally ill patient whose peace and faith deeply impacted him. That encounter set him on a path toward Christ.

Their lives became evidence. Not just words. Not just beliefs. But changed lives.

The Maniac of Gadara: A Biblical Example

Mark 5 introduces us to the "maniac of Gadara"—a man possessed, tormented, living among tombs, isolated and broken. But when Jesus stepped onto the scene, everything changed. Jesus cast out thousands of demons. And when the townspeople returned, they found the man clothed, calm, and in his right mind.

He wasn’t just healed—he was transformed. Redeemed. Sent on mission to tell others what Jesus had done.

His story could’ve ended in tragedy, but instead, his monument could read:

“A life changed by Jesus.”

Known by Our Sin… or Known by Our Savior?

Some people are remembered by the sins that defined them: the addict, the liar, the cheater, the angry one. But the good news of the gospel is this: No matter how sin defines your past, Jesus can redefine your future.

He can rewrite your story. He can give you a new name. A new nature. A new direction. Whether you’re a six-year-old child with minimal life experience or a former prisoner with a long rap sheet—it takes the same grace, the same blood of Jesus, to save.

There’s no sin too deep. No heart too hardened. No story too broken.

What Will Be Written on Yours?

When all is said and done, and your life has been lived, what will be said of you? What story will your life have told? Will others be able to look back and say, “That person’s life was changed by Jesus”?

If not, there’s no better day than today to make that the story of your life. To surrender. To be forgiven. To be made new.

And if you’ve already been changed, live like it. Represent Jesus in your home, at your work, in your neighborhood. Let your changed life be a testimony that points others to Christ.