Written by Christopher Lui. Artwork by Keith Pang.
Legacy – noun, [leg-uh-see]: anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor
This is something that many people, especially younger people, don’t often take time to ponder about—the legacies they’ll leave. As we live out our lives, what will we do? What will history remember us for? Are we taking the right actions needed to ensure that legacy?
We often give the best of our work, the best of our energy and the most of our time to accomplishing things on this Earth, and leave God with our leftovers, when it was He who gave us the ability to do these things in the first place. Jesus poses a difficult proposition, that “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). To deny ourselves does not mean that we must live a life with no fun or pleasure, but instead to recognize that first and foremost we have nothing that God hasn’t given to us, and to live lives that demonstrate His love and mercy.
During my college years, I lost the passion to live for Christ. Intellectually, I understood the Scriptures and why Jesus had to die and resurrect, but it was a cold, stoic faith. Without passion for God, I naturally turned to the world. I studied and worked hard, graduated and found a great job, but it felt meaningless. It was then that I realized my folly. How precious the time we have here is! With renewed faith, I began reconnecting with the church and realized the lasting effects of our actions. I found that by serving the church and encouraging others, I was investing in eternity. Those people would in turn pass on their efforts and encouragements. While God may use each one of us differently and in different levels of influence, our actions do have a bigger ripple effect than we think.
Are there specific areas in your life where you struggle to give thanks to God? Or situations where you want to hold onto your life, rather than let God take control and lead you? Recall your testimony, the day when you first recognized that you needed Jesus as your Savior and pray to God asking him to rekindle your passion to live in such a way that when we see Him again, He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Reflection Questions
1. If you were to die today, what do you think people would remember you for?
2. What kind of legacy would you like to leave? Will your memory bring glory to your earthly accomplishments or to Jesus?