March 20

When Moses had finished reciting all these words to all Israel, — Deut 32:45 BSB

Someday, each of us will reach the end. Moses knew his time was near; we may not know when our time will come. Any word we speak, even in casual conversation, could be our last. If we always remembered this, wouldn’t we be more careful with our words? Would we ever speak unkindly to a friend, knowing we might never have the chance to take it back? Would we ever say something angry, false, or hurtful, knowing it could be the last thing we say?

We all want to leave behind sweet memories and be remembered with love. We want our last words to be a source of joy for those who remember us. The only way to ensure this is to make every word beautiful enough to be our last. Because with any sentence, we may come to the end of our speaking.