Lately, I’ve thought a lot about leaving a legacy. Perhaps that happens when you move to a new place. The people you leave behind must carry on. And you soon realize they can do rather well without you! It can be a humbling experience when the world doesn’t stop because you’ve moved elsewhere!
There is something within each of us that hopes we will be remembered long after we are gone. But the truth is, we are very mortal and entirely forgettable. Have you ever returned to your alma mater or childhood home to find there are new faces? Life carried on after you left. It’s nothing personal. It happens to all of us! Yet we all want to be remembered long after we are gone. What is the best way to leave a legacy?
I remember when it was the generation or two before me that said, “Just wait until you’re my age!” Now that I am that age, I still wonder what they were talking about.
Both pastors had compelling stories on how their legacies affected their call to ministry.
Both pastors emphasized while their family lineage was something to cherish, neither was called just because it was the family business. In fact, they may have hesitated because they didn’t want to enter ministry simply because it was expected of them.
Different Paths
But each traveled on different journeys. to get there.
One pastor ran from his calling and lived a life far from God until he was called back to faith and ministry. It’s a compelling story of redemption. He has been near death twice. He has a testimony that maintains nobody is too far gone to be saved.
The other pastor felt the call after he had been out in the workforce for three years. His career was flourishing, but he found the call to ministry irresistible. He has benefited from the mentorship of his father and is passing that legacy to the next generation.
Families of Origin
I resonated with their stories because, though I haven’t been called to pastor a church, my grandfather was a pastor. I felt similar pressure to perhaps go into ministry because of my legacy. Now mind you, nobody placed that pressure on me but myself. Still, I felt it and didn’t want to succumb to it just because it was part of my ancestry.
At the same time, the legacy of my parents, grandparents, and preceding generations had a profound impact on my life and the lives of my children. While only my maternal grandfather was a pastor, all faithfully lived their lives in powerful ways.
Legacies are important facets of our lives. They don’t totally define us, but they are a part of us. Some of us have great legacies that can be cherished. Others are working through baggage brought on by our family history. Every family has some skeletons in their closet—even good families.
We are not ultimately defined by our past, though it is part of our definition. We can embrace the good aspects of our family of origin and learn from the less than the pristine side of our family of origin.
Today, we have an opportunity to affect our future generations. If we are called, we can answer that call. If we need to address the sins of the past, let’s do it and give the following generations a good start. It reminds me of a song by Steve Green, May all who come behind us find us faithful.
There is no doubt everyone is experiencing some kind of crisis right now.
Some people are quarantined in their own homes
Others are out of work as they wait to see if these extraordinary measures will work
Some have seen their retirement funds evaporate in a stock market roller coaster ride
Some have made a run to the store and are wondering what they will do with a six-month supply of toilet paper
Some are nervously washing their hands, disinfecting everything and are suspicious of anyone who isn’t doing the same
We have an opportunity through all of this to be an example. This will all blow over eventually. When we come out on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, will we be proud of the way we showed kindness, consideration and courage? or will we be ashamed of the way we regressed a selfish, fearful shell of ourselves? The younger generations are watching us. Make the most of this opportunity to show the best of humanity.
This morning, I get to teach kids about treating everyone as VIP. The bottom line is that we need to honor others by putting them first.
I am so thankful I’ve had the priviledge to teach kids over the decades. Yesterday, my wife and I saw one of our former kids in children’s ministry that is now an adult. It’s so gratifying to see kids you once taught now having kids and teaching them life lessons.
Never forget the next generation. It can be frustrating to teach kids when you wonder if they are listening. It can be easy to write off a hyper seven-year old. But you never know how much they are listening. You never know if the lesson they hear today, could be the one thing they remember twenty years later when they are going through a tough time.
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