What is your legacy?

Legacy: a gift or a bequest that is handed down, endowed, or conveyed from one person to another. There is a grander scope of legacy that entails all of the things you have done, or not done, to improve the world in which you live. I think of that as the Billy Graham effect. The Martin Luther’s of the world dramatically redefine the way we look at salvation. The Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s who change the way we look at each other. These are bigger than life Christian warriors who left an indelible mark on all of humankind.

Proverbs 13:22: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

The legacy I was thinking about today was more ordinary and every day. It is the legacy we leave behind with our family and friends. Throughout life, there are great opportunities to speak truth to those we love. We do it instinctively with our children if we have them. We sometimes get a chance for a late-night chat with siblings. Maybe we get serious with a close friend over coffee. The opportunity to leave a lasting impression doesn’t come often. Many times, we are not prepared; we may not even see the moment for what it is. But it is there, and it will echo through time. That impression, good or bad, will be remembered and passed on. I can’t count the number of times I have referenced my dad in a conversation. His wisdom is worth passing on.

2 Timothy 2:2, “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

The concern that is rattling around in my brain today is the invisible legacy that casts a shadow over everything I do. Finding and living the will of God in my life is important to me because I genuinely feel it is why God created me. That should be reason enough. Today I realized there was another reason, just as important. When my friends, family, children and grandchildren see the impact that this has on my life, it influences their life. As I ramble on about passion and joy and fulfillment, they can’t help but be changed.

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Chasing my passion, pursuing the man that God intended me to be, is paramount to leaving a lasting positive legacy for those who come in contact with me. It is one of the tools that God uses to influence others to do the same. My commitment to follow Jesus in all that I do is the marker on the trail of other people’s journeys. It is not just what I say; it is what I do; it is who I am.

I have an obligation to find that man that God intended for me because it influences the future. It starts a domino effect that creates value long after I am gone. Living on the center-line of God’s plan for me not only enriches my life, but it also enriches the lives of all who see it. It is the beacon on the hill, the light in the darkness. It gives others who see the fruit of my labor hope.

Last year I was on the Volunteer Committee for the Super Bowl here in Atlanta. We triaged 18,000 applicants into a mighty force of 10,000 volunteers aimed at making a lasting positive impression on the almost one million visitors while they were in Atlanta. One of the unexpected experiences I had over the 10-day Super Bowl event was six in-depth conversations with volunteers, whom I had never met, concerning living their lives with purpose. At that time, the same as now, I was trying to “see” God’s plan for me as I moved into another season in my life. I chased God’s plan for me with Joy and anticipation, thoroughly looking forward to the future. They saw it and wanted the same thing for their lives.

For various reasons, they were struggling with where life had taken them. They were not so much dissatisfied as they were unsatisfied. Life was not bad; it just wasn’t as good as they thought it could be. They lamented the disappearance of unifying experiences in our fragmented society. There was no commonality of values. We talked about how employment and careers have changed over the last few decades; the discussion came around to how to face the future. I confessed that my faith was my anchor. God explicitly created us to achieve a great purpose for Christ. That was it. Line up your life with the very reason for your existence, and joy will follow.

Philippians 4:9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

In full disclosure, I did tell them that I thought this was a lifelong endeavor. I said it was more of a journey than a destination. But it was a path worth following. As a result, lives changed. These people saw an alternative to what they initially perceived. After one conversation, people don’t become disciples, but maybe they become seekers, and that is a start.

We should follow Christ not just for our benefit but for the benefit of those who see us. It is a lasting legacy planted in others that will perpetuate God’s kingdom on earth.

Philippians 4:8-13, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. “