Recently I was listening to a friend's podcast. He mentioned a survey he had read sometime back. The study surveyed 50 people over the age of 95.
The main question was this: "What is your greatest regret?"
The responses were as follows:
#1 I wish I had taken more risks in life…started that business, taken that trip, got that education, etc.
#2 I wish I had reflected more during the different seasons of life…lived more in the moment rather than rushing through life.
#3 I wish I had left something that would live on after me…something with eternal purpose.
I decided to do my own unscientific survey via facebook. I listed the three answers above, and asked for my friends 55 years old and above to vote for the response they most identified with. I believe all the answers were very valid. I really expected the results to be similar to the original survey. However, overwhelmingly the respondents chose #3.
It seems to my way of thinking that #1 and #3 almost go hand in hand. In order to leave something lasting, there are inherent risks. When we initially moved to San Antonio to work in the inner city, Alisa and I visited all the A/G churches in San Antonio. We asked for people to help us with the ministry. Out of the hundreds maybe thousands we spoke to, only a couple responded. Two years later, we went back through all the churches to give an update. Over and over, at every church individuals would come to us and say, "We really felt like we were supposed to work with you, but we just never took the step." It was quite depressing for us! All that help just setting out there, but no one acting on the opportunity. These folks had every opportunity to leave something that would have an eternal impact, but they weren't willing to take the risk.
So my analysis of my little survey? #3 may be your biggest regret, but you'll never get to #3, without going through #1.
