What Is Your Legacy?
In years past, I was lucky to be acquainted with a lovely lady who was a generous giver. By generous, I mean that she didn’t try to give grand things or huge amounts of money to people; she tried to find a way to give small things to lots of different people. One of the gifts she gave regularly at Christmas was a subscription to Guidepost magazine. I have no idea how many of these she gave, though I knew of at least six such subscriptions among family, friends, and acquaintances. I picked up the copy of Guidepost from our mailbox right after her passing and wondered to myself how many more issues I’d receive before the subscription ran out. Several years after her passing, I mysteriously received an envelope from Guidepost with a magazine in it. It startled me at first, and I wondered humorously how this Christian lady found a way to order magazines from her home in Heaven as I was certain she’d somehow found a way to get these delivered in perpetuity.
As I opened the envelope, I found a gift subscription, but it came from another source. I was again pleased to receive the Guidepost gift subscription as I enjoyed reading their magazine. But, what resonated with me on that day was the remembrance of the Christian lady who first subscribed to the magazine for us. I’ll probably never look at a Guidepost without thinking of her and the legacy she left behind. She gave simply and consistently; it was her legacy. That fact had been etched into my memory of her. Because she gave Guidepost subscriptions every year for many years, I was nearly ready to entertain heavenly intervention by her to get them delivered in her absence!
Later, I noticed a different legacy when reading in 2 Timothy 4:14. A stark reality hit me as I read, “Alexander the copper smith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.” This is the only place that I know of that Alexander the copper smith was mentioned, and the only legacy he had was a bad one. I don’t know anything else about Alexander’s life but that apparently nothing else about his life was notable.
What a contrast between these two people, and the legacies they left. It makes me ponder my own legacy. I don’t believe most people want to be remembered for the bad things they’ve done, and certainly, I don’t. But, it made me wonder when I am not physically here any longer, what memory of my life will remain in my stead. Are good characteristics and Christian values evident so much so that they are etched in to the memories of those who will be here to remember me?
What about you? What is your lasting legacy? God help us all to be aware of our actions daily such that, when nothing but our memory remains, our legacy is good. Today, as you work, play, read, or pray, take a moment to recall the legacy of someone you know….or take another step toward creating the Christian legacy for which you will be proud to be remembered.
-TH-