What Kind Of Legacy Will You Leave?
Katie was 108. She danced at every birthday party. She even danced at a family wedding a few months ago. She never wore a hearing aide, lived in the home that she grew up in as a little girl and, until a few weeks before her death, had spent very little time in the hospital. We frequently joked that she would outlast us all.
At her funeral, we shared our Katie-stories. We laughed. We cried. We knew she had lived a good life.
It got me thinking. What kind of legacy will I leave behind?
How do I touch the lives around me? What memories am I building with others? How do I point them to God? How am I using the gifts He gave me? What will be my stamp on eternity? The choices I make today affect my legacy tomorrow.
Sometimes, it so easy to go through my day on autopilot. I get up, go to work, fix dinner and crash into bed. Next day, repeat. I don’t even realize that I’m living in a rut until I try to remember exactly what I did throughout the day. It all becomes a blur.
How do I begin to live outside the rut?
First, I can uncover God’s plan for my day. When I spend time with Him in His Word, He challenges me. If I read a passage about forgiveness, I may think of someone I need to forgive. Or, I may realize that I need to ask for someone’s forgiveness. I may not have even thought about it if God hadn’t challenged me.
But, it’s not just the challenges. It’s the comfort in times of sorrow, the praise that echoes the heartbeat of my soul, and the questions and disappointments that remind me I’m not the only one who’s ever felt that way.
How does God’s Word touch you?
Secondly, I can look at other people through God’s eyes. He loves them and calls me to do the same. Instead of breezing through my day with only superficial conversations, I can stop and listen. I can rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. I can get elbow-deep in the messiness of knowing other people.
God created us to live in community. Other people spice up a bland life. Even when it hurts, a connection with another person makes life meaningful.
How does building meaningful relationships with others change you?
Finally, I can learn to live each moment and make my time count. Instead of rushing through my day, I need to slow down. Savor that cup of coffee. Laugh with my family. Breathe deeply and enjoy the smells of the season. Pray for others. Ask questions. Walk in the rain. Do something just for fun.
Do you enjoy life? Do you take the time to look for the little blessings all around you?
Sometimes, I don’t. But when I do, I discover amazing things. I want to make that the norm instead of the exception.
Then at the end of the day, I will have memories. And at the end of my life, I will leave behind a legacy.
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