Skip to main content

Leave A Legacy


What do you think of in terms of leaving a legacy?  Leaving property or money?  That’s one way.

The dictionary points to more possibilities:  “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.”   Something transmitted could mean lots of things and it doesn’t always have to be something tangible.

The book of Hebrews records a legacy that wonderfully fits that broader definition:  “And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”  In this case, God commended Abel for his faith and actions and both still speak to us today.  (Heb 11:4)

Another one is found in the book of Mark:  “I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  In this account, the woman took a jar of very expensive perfume and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.  While others were criticizing the act as wasteful, Jesus set the record straight:  “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” (Mark 14:3-9)

A legacy is something that should last.  Property and money may last for a time.  But the legacy that both Abel and the woman left has lasted thousands of years.  Neither involved transmitting something tangible but both involved transmitting something that they did.  And both legacies are permanently recorded in the Word of God and continue to speak to us today! 

Do your best to transmit a legacy that will last and one that will be meaningful.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Not Just Idle Words

I own a 25 year old car.  The body might be falling apart but the engine runs great and it idles smoothly.  Such idling is good. Idling can also have to do with spending too much time doing nothing or being without purpose or being engaged in that which is pointless.  Such idling is not good. What if I were to tell you that I know of something that is the about as far as being without purpose as you can get?  Would you want it? Here is that something:  “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”  ( Deut 32:47) Other versions of the Bible use some different words for that first phrase in the verse and such can be helpful in assessing how important the words really are: “Not meaningless words…”   “These are not just useless words…”   “No empty word for you…”   “Not unimportant words…”   “Not useless words…”   ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Very Present

I love words that have multiple meanings but the same spelling.  Take the word “present” for example.  You may be thinking of “present”, as in a gift.  Gotta love those! But I’m thinking of “present”, as in existing now or occurring now. I’m also thinking of “present”, as in being at hand. Why those two latter ones, you might ask, why not just go with the gift! Well, I recently read Psalm 46, and here is the first verse:   “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Some theologians suggest the word “present” in this Psalm has the meaning of “well proven”.  I certainly can appreciate that. But I’ve been wondering if “present” could include the meaning of “now existing or now occurring”.  That is, God is exists now and is occurring in our lives. Furthermore, I’ve been wondering if “present” could also include “being at hand”.  That is, God is here, right now, with us.   And with even further wondering, the wo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Be Amazed!

Be amazed… Jesus welcomed sinners …The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners… (Luke 15:2) Jesus hung out with sinners …And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” (Luke 19:7) Jesus ate with sinners …And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matt 9:11) Jesus was a friend of sinners …The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ (Matt 11:19) With Jesus being so welcoming, what did people do? People came to see Him …They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” (John 12:21) People came to hear Him …Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. (Luke 15:1) People followed Him …While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many ta...
Post a Comment
Read more