In Genesis 23, we read that Sarah died at 127 years old, and Abraham wept. But notice what happened next—he didn’t just bury her quickly and move on. He negotiated carefully with the people of the land, insisted on paying full price for a burial plot, and gave her an honorable funeral. The text records specific details: her age, the place, the transaction. This wasn’t merely duty. It was deep respect for a life that mattered.

What made Sarah’s life worth such honor at her death? She wasn’t perfect. She laughed at God’s promise, gave her servant to Abraham, and mistreated Hagar. Yet Scripture remembers her as a woman of faith who obeyed her husband, hoped in God’s promises, and became the mother of nations. Her life counted because she walked with God, even if imperfectly.

Genesis 23 confronts us with an uncomfortable question: when we die, what will people remember? Will our lives warrant tears and honor, or will we leave behind regrets and broken relationships? The cemetery transaction reveals character—Abraham’s integrity, his refusal to take advantage, his desire to do things honorably even in grief.

We cannot control whether people mourn us, but we can control how we live. Are we building relationships that matter? Walking faithfully with God? Leaving a legacy of integrity? Investing in things that outlast us?

Death comes for everyone. But a life lived for God, marked by faith and character, creates a legacy worth honoring. Live today in a way that will matter tomorrow.

Change begins in you!