Attended a family reunion lately? Shared laughs and memories as you reminisced years gone by with favorite family members? Unfortunately for many of us, these times usually take place at a loved ones funeral. Nevertheless, reunions are important. They are times of touching and connecting with other branches of the family tree, tracing one's personal history back through time and culture. Knowing one's genetic and relational path gives a sense of identity, heritage and destiny.
With the same purpose, the writer of Chronicles begins his unifying work with an extensive geneaology. He traces the roots of the nation of Israel in a literary family reunion from Adam onward. We read in I Chronicles and gain a glimpse of God at work through His people for generations. If you are a believer, these people are your ancestors, too!
If you were to randomly choose an ancester and look closely at their life, what kind of legacy would they have left? What kind of example were they to the next generation? How would you describe their life and did they contribute wisely to your own spiritual heritage?
Eventually your life will be summarized in a single sentence. What will your "life sentence" be? If you live intentionally, people at your funeral won't be left to wonder. As I mentioned at the beginning, many of my reunion memories are from funerals. I have had the privilige to speak at both of my grandmother's funerals over the past few years. It was not difficult for me to come up with a sentence that summarized their lives. One was a strong woman with strong convictions and a strong character (although some would call it plain stubbornness!) The other was a quieter woman, but with the same desire and love for God. Both of these women are part of my spiritual heritage and have left a lasting impression to all who were honored to know them.
Your life is your greatest legacy and you've only got one, so make it count. Here are four things we should strive to leave:
1) A legacy of excellence. In his book, Leadership Gold, John Maxwell has a chapter entitled, "Don't send your ducks to eagle school." In it he writes, "Ducks are not supposed to be eagles - nor do they want to be. Who they are is who they should be. Ducks have their area of expertise, that's where they excel." Do what God created you to do and do it with excellence.
2) A legacy of encouragement. It's said, "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others cause happiness whenever they leave." Are you the kind of person someone will call ten or twenty years from now and say, "Thanks, I couldn't have made it without you?" Don't wait until it's too late to encourage others with your words and/or kind deeds.
3) A legacy of purpose. We're most energized when we're investing our strengths and talents into a God-given purpose. So make your life about something bigger than yourself. You won't live forever, but you can live on through the impact your make now in the lives of others. William James said it well, "The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it."
4) A legacy of love. Jon Gordon says, "My Mom..passed away a few years ago..I don't recall her faults and mistakes or the disagreements we had. After all, who's perfect? What I do remember..was her love. She gave me a legacy of love that will embrace generations to come." What better legacy can we leave than to share the love of God with everyone we meet?
What is your "life sentence"? How will people describe you one day? What is the spiritual heritage you are passing on to the next generation? It's not too late to start!
Blog Question: 1) Share with us a person from your spiritual heritage who left lasting legacy and/or 2) What are you doing to prepare your legacy for the next generation?
4 comments:
My Aunt Rene and was the one that introduced me to salvation. She was a prayer warrior and was consumed by the things of God. I was a teenager and that she was annoying and fanatic. I look back now as an adult and realize she was a great woman of God. So much of what I use to scoff at are things I admire her for now. But now she is not here and all I have are the memories. So I take a page from her enthusiasm and commitment and strive to be all for God that He expects me to be. I encourage my children the same way. I know Im annoying to them sometimes too. But I also know they hear me and they see who and what God is in their lives.
A tremendous influence on me as a person, and as an example in their faith, was my Grandma Teggerdine. I was very close to her and she was in my life every day while I was a child. She was a very faithful woman and a Godly woman. When I think of an example of a Christian woman I think of her. She read from her Bible or Bible stories every day to me. She encouraged me in church, Sunday school and Awana. She taught me that living for God and to please God was more important than living for the world or living to please people. She was loving, but strict in all the right ways and I am so very thankful for it. I know my Christian grandparents and parents are a big reason that I didn’t get mixed up in wrong things as a teen or make choices I would regret later in my life.
The Lord had blessed me with two people who had great influence in my life during my young and older years.
As a child growing up, my Grandmother (Nan Ward) lived with me. She would always come into my room at night and read me a story and the Bible and pray with me. When I was around 11 years of age, I would listen to her play the piano and I would sing with her. This started a full life of my wanting to sing for the Lord, starting at age 12!
My mother was the one who taught me to be thankful for what I had and to do what was right etc. She was patient and quiet and that attitude showed me, tho life for her was not always bright and cheery, God was good, all the TIME.
My grandmother was always quoting scripture to me, while my mother's words were from her heart.
Can I thank them enough for all they did for me? No, but God made sure they were in my life growing up and one day we will rejoice together and sing and praise in our new home in heaven.
My mom and dad impacted my spritiual life. They took me to church every Sunday.I would also say my grandparents they took me to a bible believing curch. I am trying to leave a legacy with my children by teaching them to pray, and by taking them to church. I also want to get into more devotions/bible reading with them. They do read their bibles, but I would like to do more together.
Post a Comment