Legacy



Lately, I've been thinking a lot about legacies.

So much of our time on this earth is spent on things that have no eternal value. They're only here for a short time.

Think about all the time we spend taking care of our physical bodies. Most of us nourish them, clothe them, exercise them, and make them as visually appealing as possible. Until a deadly accident or sickness comes along.

And then our bodies start to decay minutes after our death. Often, there are only a few photos and a grave marker to remind anyone that there once was a living body.

Or, think about your possessions. Many have spent entire lifetimes building careers or businesses. They have spent untold hours working and studying to create some kind of a legacy, perhaps as an inheritance for their families or as a testament to future generations that they spent their lives accomplishing a cherished purpose.

Some have succeeded. They have left monuments to their lives that we can point to and benefit from. But many others have worked just as diligently, or even more so, and yet the fruit of their labor has vanished from memory after their death as quickly as the morning dew. Perhaps it was squandered or neglected by the heirs. Perhaps it was destroyed by a storm or a war. Perhaps it was stolen by a tyrant, a thief or a divorce court. Perhaps, just because of the passing of time, it was forgotten.

Then think about your children, if you have any.

Most people see their children as their most treasured legacy. Good parents literally pour their lives into their children, hoping to instruct them in the right way. If you are a Christian, that means raising them to know the Lord Jesus (Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4). This is what God requires, and it is also should be your greatest desire for them.

Some of these children go on to live godly lives and continue the legacy to future generations. But others do not, and many heartbroken Christian parents watch their children grow up to despise everything their parents taught them and instead go down the path of evil.

So, what is the point to all of this, then?

If your hope is on the things of this world, then there is no point. All is a meaningless grasping of the wind (Ecclesiastes 11:10). Your life is like a vapor that vanishes with the dawn (James 4:14).

You may or may not be successful in the building of your legacy. Even if you are, your life probably won't be remembered much by future generations, if at all.

But if your hope is on the things of God, it really doesn't matter.

He has an eternal inheritance for you in Heaven. This inheritance is a spiritual one. One that cannot be destroyed by moths or stolen by thieves (Luke 12:33). What you do for the Lord on Earth is counted towards your legacy there, despite the outcome here. This is crucial to understand, because we often base so much of our well-being on the outcomes we see here on Earth.

It is only with our faith in Him that we can even muster the courage or effort to keep doing what is right even when there are no satisfying results.

As John Quincy Adams said, "Duty is ours, results are God's".

I wanted to encourage you today with this, because I know there are some of you who are wondering whether the life you are living is worth living or the things you are doing are worth doing.

If you know Jesus and you're doing it for Him, then the answer is yes! Your spiritual legacy is as eternal as the Word of God that promises it (Isaiah 40:8).

And words on this page cannot describe the incredible joy that you will experience the day you hear these words from Jesus Himself:

Well done, My good and faithful servant.

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