I just visited my younger brother and his family. Kirk and his wife, Lyn, both went to Seattle Pacific University, so it was no surprise when Kirk shared a video made to honor Paul Lee, an SPU student killed in the campus shooting last year. What did surprise me was how profoundly affected I was by the video. That this young man so enriched and impacted those around him that they created a beautiful homage a year later…one that celebrates the joy and delight Paul took in life…
What an amazing legacy.
As you watch this video, ask yourself:
What legacy will my words, written and spoken, leave when I’m gone?
Praying we may all inspire others the way Paul did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuqtRAtEFmA
Eyes Open, Antennae Up
Stirring. We had a similar case at our school, when a remarkable young woman died from Sesame seed allergy on a trip to Israel. As a teacher her life glorified God, but her legacy lives on in a garden of remembrance. The lives of Paul, Lydia and many others who were cut off before their time, echo through our troubled world to remind us that there is more to live for. My greatest hope is to deposit a living memorial in the lives I leave behind: my sons and the sons God will yet give me. We will all fade like the stars but the message of scripture is that God who faithfully nurtured the legacy of His friend, Abraham, did the same for all who carried that baton through history and, if we fight for it, will do as much for us. That, as your post invokes, is the higher purpose of our writings.
Amen, Peter.
I’ve thought a lot about legacy in recent weeks, under the press of circumstance, and the truth is, I don’t know much more than when I first considered the question.
There’s no legacy I can deliberately leave, now, without it being forced or mannered, and the only things that are really out there are the one novel, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart, and my blog.
Pretty skimpy, and I’m no Kara Tippetts, nor Randy Pausch. I can’t really read a lot of faith or meaning into life at the edge of the Mystery.
Now you’ve done it, Andrew, you’ve sparked the idea for my next blog! Tune in next week for my response to your thoughts. 🙂
Karen, I’m honored! God willing, I’ll be here.
Andrew, we work through the heart, the Holy Spirit and we have no idea how much of a legacy we will leave. Look at the people in the Bible who had small parts in the scheme of things and what an amazing legacy. Look at Stephen. His life so quickly gone but his sermon if forever. Look at the demoniac. He touches my heart. So free so hungry to follow the Lord but he was to stay and tell his own what God had done. And I think of Betsy ten Boom was her life important? Without her, Corrie could not have come through to the place of brokeness and forgiveness and ministry.
You have a legacy but it isn’t you. It is Him in you, the hope of glory.
Sandy, thank you so much! That brought things into focus, and with time seeming to run out…I sure need the focus now rather than later.
I am so glad it helped. (<: God richly bless you, brother with His perfect love.
well said Sandy
“You have a legacy but it isn’t you. It is Him in you, the hope of glory.” In all my life, I had never thought of it that way. My goodness.
Wow. What more can be said?
Good thoughts, Teresa. Thanks.
Well, you did it. You brought tears to my eyes, with the beauty of the song and the message of the dance. What a beautiful testimony to this young man’s impact.
What a challenge to live life in a way that it touches others. Not that I try to make others be impacted. My prayer is that God works through me, my words, actions, and that I might never know what He’s doing.
A powerful prayer, indeed.
I try to remind myself every morning that Jesus has put me here to share the wonderful truth that He loves us and paid for our sins with His own blood. I want more than anything for my legacy to be the people who come to faith in Jesus because, at just the right place and time, I shared what God placed on my heart to help them with their next step toward Him.
Sometimes I’ve planted, more often I water. I still pray for the high-level manager at a bioscience review who saw my cross and asked me why some of his top scientists believed in God. That 15-minute discussion made the drive to the airport as the first car on a country road at 5:15 a.m. through a blizzard so thick I was overdriving my headlights at 15 mph worth every white-knuckle second. I’m sure Satan didn’t want me to make that plane with my watering can.
I’m still rejoicing that a friend used my slides from a set of presentations at church on the molecular biological proof of a designer to show a research colleague why belief in God wasn’t intellectually stupid. That crack in his agnostic shell was a necessary first step. God put the hunger in his heart for his Word and for spiritual discussions with my friend. Two weeks ago, he was baptized. I may never meet my new brother this side of heaven, but I feel totally energized and immensely grateful that God used me to play my small part in his journey to Jesus.
God put it on my heart to start writing novels that chronicle the transition from unbelief to faith in an emotionally engaging way that I pray will help an unbelieving reader take the next step toward belief as well. I think one of the best parts about heaven will be seeing the final harvest of all the people for whom Jesus used me as a seed planter and water woman. I think we are all going to be amazed by how many people were affected by our love of God and our faithful use of the talents he gave us.
Moving, inspiring, beautiful, great testimony. You go all!
There are many unsung (on earth at least) hero’s of God all around us. If you seek, you shall find.
Just one of the many classifications of the prominently invisible among the many unsung departees of this planet that quite often lived totally unknown or were quickly forgotten by most of the population is a GOOD mother. Her legacy lives on deeply obscured in the identity of her children. She is crucially important to the Kingdom of God here on earth. It is my belief that in heaven she is greatly celebrated for her accomplishments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCnIRVXprhY
Hebrews 11:1
[ Heroes of Faith ] Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
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Amen.
Just wow. Thanks for sharing. I rarely think in terms of the legacy I leave though often of my wake… the path behind me when I open my mouth or write… even good intentioned or truth can leave a wake of destruction and chaos – not of God. I think legacy is the culmination of a lifetime of our wakes… appreciate the reminder and vision of the bigger picture – as well as a young man’s example to remind us to follow Jesus’.
You’re welcome.
I like the idea of the wakes we leave. As someone who likes to water-ski from time to time, I’ve discovered wakes can be delightful. They can be a challenge. They can trip you up. They can send you sprawling. Here’s to leaving wakes that delight and uplift!
I do know this.
The legacy I want to leave is love.
Legacy –On Mom’s grave stone I put I Corinthians 2:9 nice and visible: No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what G-d has prepared
for those who love him.
Angelina Lesh Lawrence,
Mom, Grannie, Great Grannie, Great Great Grannie.
Mom loved G-d so much. She was very appreciative that He took her in as a child. Mom was an orphan. She did much for G-d because of her G-d love. That is her legacy.
I think even grave stones need to share our hope. I smile every time I go past that tiny country cemetery on our way to church. I call out, “I remember you Mom. Miss you.”
It is mentioned in my non-fiction work.