When It’s Over, What Will Be the Measure of Your Life?

We measure lots of things: Waistlines, heights of our growing kids, amounts of specific ingredients in a recipe, dimensions of a room, “wingspans” of aspiring professional athletes. Good carpenters excel at measuring – they measure twice, then cut once. Perhaps the most important measure of all, however, is the measure of a person’s life – the impact that endures long after they’re gone.

 

One phrase often used for this is “leaving a legacy." As we grow older, it’s something many of us think about increasingly. Because when all has been said and done, the measure of our lives won’t be how much money we earned, stuff we accumulated, titles we earned at work, places we visited, or other tangible things like that. A legacy reflects the mark we’ve made, the impact we had on the lives of people encountered along life’s journey.

 

When we think legacy, we tend to think about the accomplishments of famous people – George Washington, Marie Curie, Henry Ford, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Elvis Presley, Mother Teresa. And without question they made invaluable contributions to our world. But we don’t have to be celebrated statesmen, inventors, scientists, entertainers or humanitarians to leave a legacy. We all will leave one, for better or worse.

 

Recently, a friend of mine, a mentor of sorts for a couple of years, passed from this life. Before I had the bright idea to take drum lessons again – decades after the last time I held drumsticks – I’d never heard of Bill Brewer. Turned out he was a celebrity of sorts in the world of musical entertainment, particularly that of country music.

 

Bill’s career spanned several decades. Another friend, also a drummer, described him as “the closest thing Chattanooga has ever had to a drumming legend. And we have produced some amazing talent from here.” And yet, while drumming expertise will always be part of what he’s remembered for, Bill’s greatest legacy was the impact he had on his students – mostly younger people – who developed into skilled drummers in their own right under his tutelage. 

 

For years he groomed drummers who played at our church’s various venues, and as his wife, Milagra, said, “his students will cherish the memory of Mr. B as their drum teacher and mentor.”

 

A committed Christ follower, Bill had a literal “come to Jesus moment” years ago when he experienced a serious accident in his van while driving back from one of his concert gigs. He escaped with only cuts and bruises, but that event helped him realize it was time to reorder his priorities, including his marriage. 

 

Even though he loved playing drums and remained in demand, Bill chose to devote the rest of his life to serving the Lord very intentionally, including playing regularly with the worship teams at our church. But his greatest impact was teaching drumming – and imparting to his students what it means to have an active faith in Christ. 

 

During my lessons with him we often spent a portion of the time talking about the Scriptures and the exhortation to “do your work for the Lord…knowing you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward” (Colossians 3:23-24). Well before Bill was diagnosed with cancer, we had frequently discussed how his legacy ultimately would carry on through the lives and hearts of the students he had trained.

 

After many years of enduring and enjoying the grind of being on the road playing country music, he had discovered the truth of Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 

 

Of course, we can’t all be drummers and drum teachers. But whatever God has called us to do, whatever gifts He’s entrusted to us, we can use to serve and honor Him – and to point others to Him, helping them to see and understand what it means to live one’s faith on a daily basis, imperfectly but consistently.

 

We can do this as an educator, physician or nurse, contractor or construction worker, retail clerk or salesperson, engineer or CPA, writer or editor, chef or baker, attorney or law enforcement officer, airline pilot or Uber driver, executive or administrative assistant, or volunteer. As Jesus challenged His disciples shortly before ascending to heaven, “…you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

 

Whatever we do, wherever we go, we can be like Joshua who declared, “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Our determination to do so will truly be the measure of our lives. As British missionary C.T. Studd wrote in a simple poem, 

“Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.” 

What Does (Or Will) Your ‘Second Half’ Look Like?

For many sports fans, whether their favorite is American football, basketball or soccer, each contest comes in two parts – a first half and a second half. In many cases the second half is most important, because that is when strategic adjustments are made based on what has happened in the first half.

 

It’s not unusual for one team to go into the locker room at halftime with a substantial lead, only to see that lead evaporate because of changes the opponent has made for the second half. And the team that is trailing at halftime can come out for the second half hopeful that adjustments they’ve made will work in their favor.

 

In a similar way, life often has two halves. For lots of folks, especially men, the first half of their lives is primarily about success. Establishing a career, climbing the corporate ladder, increasing the income, gaining recognition and a solid reputation in whatever vocation they choose. Status, prestige, affluence, power. These all can be intoxicating motivators for one’s early and middle adult years.

 

However, there often comes a time when the goals and targets we’ve set have either been achieved or lose their luster. Some start to relate to the refrain from the old Peggy Lee song, “Is that all there is?” I’ve heard many executives and entrepreneurs speak about “climbing the ladder of success, only to discover it was leaning against the wrong wall.”

 

What happens then? Many a wise person has recognized that success is fleeting. King Solomon of Israel, who wrote all or part of several books in the Bible, was acclaimed for his wisdom as well as the grandeur of his kingdom and the vast wealth he had accumulated. Yet, nearing the end of his life, he cynically concluded much of what he had accomplished was futile.

 

Solomon wrote, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).

 

Tell us how you really feel, King Sol! Just verses later he added, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun is grievous to me…. I hated all the things I had done under the sun because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:17-19).

 

Thanks for the encouraging words, right? Well, if success isn’t all it’s supposed to be, what are we to do? This is where our ‘second half’ comes in. Rather than continuing the quest for success in whatever work God has entrusted us to perform, we can shift our focus to significance.

 

Reading Solomon’s dire musings in Ecclesiastes, it’s clear he was reflecting on the temporary nature of life. Outstanding careers and grand enterprises are built and then come to an end. This year’s star player will soon be replaced by someone else. Great companies of decades ago either disappear entirely, are absorbed by other corporations, or undergo major restructuring, often bearing little resemblance to what they once were. 

 

Unlike success, significance is something that endures long after our earthly lives have ended. This is one reason the term “legacy” has gained popularity. In fact, for years I worked for a non-profit called Leaders Legacy in which our goal was to touch lives for Jesus Christ through a unique strategy of leadership development, mentoring, coaching and team building. Ironically, Leaders Legacy no longer exists as an entity, but its impact is continuing through the lives of men, women and families it touched.

 

Okay, if success isn’t the be-all-end-all, then how do we achieve significance in the second half of our lives? This isn’t easy to answer because it’s not one-size-fits-all. But it involves using the gifts, talents and experience God has given us and passing those along to people He brings into our lives. For one person this might mean volunteering in an area of interest. It might mean mentoring someone, a younger adult or child. In serving as a spiritual mentor or disciple-maker, the age of the person doesn’t matter – what does matter is their desire to grow in their faith and understanding of how to live it out practically.

 

Once their children have grown, many people shift into the role of nurturing grandparents, again investing their wisdom and experience into the next generation. Some folks, having gone as far as they could in their careers or upon retiring, decide to pursue an avocation or passion they never had time to cultivate, something that can influence others in a positive way. This could range from coaching a youth sports team to working in a local food bank to teaching a continuing education class.

 

The apostle Paul understood this idea, what some people term “paying it forward.” Writing to his protégé Timothy, the apostle exhorted, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). That single verse represents four generations of believers, and I’m certain the spiritual genealogy of many people today traces  back to Paul and Timothy.

 

Years ago, a good friend, among many individuals who made meaningful investments into my own life spiritually, showed me an Old Testament verse that refers to benefits gained – including significance – that come from giving out of our lives to others. In Isaiah 43:4 God declares, “Since you are precious and honored in My sight and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:4).

Imagine you’re a football team that has just returned to the field from halftime, trailing by a few points. You’ve assessed what happened in the first half. The question you must answer now is, “What will your second half look like?” 

Going From ‘Who’s Who’ to ‘Who’s He?’

I’m going to give you a brief list of people: Ryne Duren. Luis Arroyo. Ron Perranoski. Dennis Eckersley. Goose Gossage. Bruce Sutter. Mariano Rivera. Rollie Fingers.

 

Any of those names sound familiar? Do you remember any of them? 

 

Each was an accomplished relief pitcher in the Major Leagues. In their heyday, they all were household names for avid fans of professional baseball. Some have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, as is the case with once-famous people in any profession, fewer and fewer people remember them despite their considerable accomplishments.

 

There are many other names I could have chosen, men renowned for coming in from the bullpen in the late innings to save the ballgame. But the point is the same: Fame is fleeting. Though folks may revel in it for a time, the page soon turns, redirecting the acclaim to other people.

 

You can search for information about these individuals on the Internet, and they might have been included in old editions of Who’s Who in America. But before you know it, they’ve moved from Who’s Who to “Who’s He?”

 

This isn’t to disparage the achievements and lives of these men or others. It’s simply true that in most cases the things we’re known for best are soon forgotten.

 

In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon – generally regarded as the wisest and richest man of his time – offered a somewhat cynical view of earthly success, wealth and pleasures. Of which, incidentally, he had determined to experience as much as possible. 

 

He wrote, perhaps with the pen of a pessimist, “There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow” (Ecclesiastes 1:11).

 

Then, to underscore that he was not a theoretical philosopher but someone who knew this firsthand, Solomon complained, “…My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).

 

In essence the Israelite king was saying no matter who you are – a celebrated athlete, highly successful businessperson, acclaimed movie or TV star, maintenance person, gifted surgeon, retail clerk, honored schoolteacher or college professor, prize-winning scientist, or even a popular preacher – your time in the ‘limelight,’ so to speak, will one day come to an end.

 

One’s place in the locker room, classroom, office, store, laboratory, worksite or sanctuary will go to someone else. Worldly honors and fame all too quickly fade. In words that echo the sentiments of Solomon, a New Testament passage declares, “…What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

 

Now let me give you another list: Simon Peter; Andrew; James and John, sons of Zebedee; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew; James, son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. And we’ll add Saul of Tarsus, better known as Paul. Do you recognize these names?

 

By profession they were nobodies: fishermen; a despised tax collector; a political activist; a religious persecutor. Yet today, each is known by countless millions who follow Jesus Christ. All but one – Judas Iscariot – left an everlasting legacy. 

 

Judas, of course, bears the shame of being the greatest betrayer of all time, the one who sold his allegiance to Christ for 30 pieces of silver. But the others are celebrated nearly 2,000 years after their earthly lives ended because of their faithfulness to a divine mission.

 

Shortly before His arrest, mock trial and crucifixion, Jesus had called His followers together and explained the special calling He was giving to them: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last” (John 15:16). He wasn’t talking about grapes and apples.

 

After His resurrection and just before ascending to heaven, Jesus completed the assignment. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

The apostles remained faithful to this commission to the end, all but one being martyred for never unwavering in their trust and commitment to Christ. Their names, mission, and fruit that truly lasts are remembered today – not because of their extraordinary talents and skills, but because their devotion to the living God.

 

C.T. Studd was a British missionary who served in China, India and Africa. He formed the World Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International) which continues to minister in many parts of the world. For many people, he is probably remembered best for his poem, “Only One Life,” Toward the end of it Studd wrote these words:

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

 

So, here’s the good news. You might not have a household name. Like most of us, you might be more likely to be included in “Who’s He (or She)?” than Who’s Who. But if we’re faithful to follow Christ, seeking to bear fruit that will last as He sees fit, we’ll be remembered where it matters most. For all of eternity.

Legacy: Much More Than an Inheritance

Recently I engaged in a discussion with a group of friends about what it means to leave a legacy. One person asked about the difference between a legacy and an inheritance. This prompted me to do a bit of research, uncovering four words that have related but distinctly different meanings.

The first is heredity, which is the passing on genetically of physical and/or mental traits or characteristics from one generation to the next. We have virtually no control over this, other than perhaps choosing the mate with whom we will have children. In terms of our genes, we’re a product of what our parents pass along to us physiologically.

 

The second is heritage, the unique culture, traditions, language and other social attributes shared by a particular society or group of people. This might include nationality, but it also relates to the specific environment in which we live and grow up. The folks I was speaking with all were Korean-Americans, so in some respects their heritage was very different from my Hungarian-American background.

 

Third on the list is inheritance, sometimes used interchangeably with legacy, but the terms definitely don’t mean the same thing. An inheritance is something you give or leave to an individual or group of people, something of material value, usually money or tangible possessions. It can be invested and increase in value over time, but it also can be squandered and easily lost.

 

Lastly, we have Legacy. An inheritance might be part of one’s legacy, but there’s much more to leaving a positive, enduring legacy than bestowing one’s earthly possessions to heirs. I would compare one’s legacy to the impact of a pebble or rock into a pond, creating outward-radiating ripples. Some rocks cause greater ripples than others – and it’s the same with legacies. Some radiate farther and for a longer time.

 

Years ago, I worked with a non-profit called Leaders Legacy which followed the motto, “Developing Great Leaders That Develop Great Leaders.” Our conviction was that the mark of a truly effective leader is not what happens while he or she is present, but what remains after they’re gone, whether that’s due to changing jobs, retirement or death.

 

If an enterprise or its mission continues to thrive and even grow after the founder leaves, that individual has left a meaningful, enduring legacy. However, if the company and its work collapse like a house of cards once the leader is gone, that’s not much of a legacy.

 

In looking for an example of a positive, enduring legacy, Chick-fil-A would be a good place to start. Years ago, I had the opportunity to interview the company’s founder, Truett Cathy. I remember him saying that when he started the business in Hapeville, Georgia, they regularly closed on Sundays. He quipped, “It’s not that we were all that religious, but that we were all that tired.”

 

Cathy passed away in 2014, but Chick-fil-A continues to be one of the most popular, well-respected food service businesses in the world. Their reputation for quality food, concern for customers, treatment of employees and overall philosophy and values remains strong. This is what leaving a positive, lasting legacy is all about.

 

But we don’t have to be a Truett Cathy, a wealthy philanthropist, inventor or groundbreaking scientist to establish an enduring, even eternal legacy. If we’re parents, we can endeavor to raise children of good character, who are hard-working, responsible, grow to love the Lord and use their gifts and talents to serve Him and others. We also can invest in the lives of others in a number of different ways, always seeking to represent Christ and point them to Him.

 

In 2 Timothy 2:2, the apostle Paul described what an eternal, multi-generational legacy can look like. He exhorted his young protégé, Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” That’s four generations of people – Paul, Timothy, “reliable men” and “others” – following Jesus and endeavoring to introduce Him to others. You think that would make a difference?

 

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Barnabas. After the conversion of Saul, the zealous Pharisee who had devoted his life to persecuting Jesus’ followers, we’re told, “When [Paul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles…” (Acts 9:26-27). 

 

Everyone else wanted nothing to do with the one-time enemy of the faith. Barnabas risked his reputation, getting to know Saul and learning the story of his life-altering encounter with Christ enroute to Damascus, and stood up for him. This “Saul,” of course, became the apostle Paul, who not only became an early Church leader but also penned much of the New Testament.

 

Barnabas’ story doesn’t end there. After accompanying Paul on several missionary journeys, serving as his spiritual mentor, the two had a serious disagreement about John Mark, who had abandoned Paul and Barnabas during one of their earlier journeys. Because of this, Paul had written him off as unfaithful, unworthy of being part of their company. 

 

When they resolved to return to towns where they had preached, Barnabas wanted to bring Mark back into the fold, “but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work” (Acts 15:37-38). We don’t know why Mark left them, but Paul didn’t want to waste his time with people he perceived as slackers.

 

Then we read, “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left” (Acts 15:39-40). This seemingly tragic schism between the two stalwarts of the faith has a happy ending, however. In 2 Timothy 4:11 Paul writes – with no mention of Barnabas – “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” This same Mark became the writer of one of the four gospels, the Gospel of Mark.

 

While Barnabas didn’t enjoy the celebrity status of other New Testament leaders, he nevertheless established a legacy we’re still benefiting from today through two fellows named Paul and Mark.

 

This raises the question: What kind of legacy are we creating? What will remain after we’re gone from the scene? How wide a ripple in the pond will we have made? Whether we’re young or old, it’s never too early or too late to start forging a lasting – even eternal – legacy.

How You Start Doesn’t Matter If You Don’t Finish Well

The recently completed Summer Olympics filled me with very mixed emotions. I’ve always enjoyed the pageantry of the games, the thrill of victory converging with the agony of defeat, and the opportunity to exude patriotic pride by rooting for U.S. competitors. All the world coming together on a single stage, finely tuned athletes vying for their moments of fame.

 

But the heightened politicization of the games has become a turn-off. I’m like the person that doesn’t want different foods to touch on her plate. I like my sports to be solely about sports, untainted by political posturing and ideologies. The “east is east and west is west, and never the twain shall meet” perspective.

 

Nevertheless, I watched enough of the competition to reaffirm an underlying principle: It’s not about how you start, but how you finish. Whether in gymnastics, where a beautiful routine on the balance beam can be spoiled by a poor dismount; a runner who leads the pack early on but falters toward the end of a race; or a beach volleyball team that wins the opening set but loses momentum and drops a match – it’s all about finishing well.

One of the most thrilling events was a relay race in swimming. A team trailed going into the final leg, but then the star swimmer leaped into the pool, slowly gaining on the leader until he secured the victory in the final meters. It’s all about the finish.

 

For most of us, the closest we’ll ever get to the Summer or Winter Olympics is our couch or recliner, watching the competition in glorious, digital color on our TVs. But we’re all engaged in a race – the race of life. The marks we leave, our legacies, will be determined not by how well we started or how noble our intentions were, but how we finished. 

 

We can all think of people – family members, friends, or famous individuals – who failed to finish well. Celebrities, public officials, business executives, even Christian leaders who captured the admiration of many during their lives only to have their reputations sullied, even destroyed, by moral or ethical failures exposed after their deaths. 

 

How do we ensure a good finish to our lives? That’s a question that, with the passing of years, I ask again and again. I doubt anyone would want an epitaph to read, “Started well…but his (or her) finish? Not so good.”

 

We can turn to the world of sports for clues to finishing well. Because no athlete excels, especially at such a high level as the Olympics, without certain key qualities to propel their performance. Here are some of them, along with some biblical principles we all can apply for successfully finish life’s race:

 

Following the rules. Each sport has basic rules each athlete must follow. Failure to abide by them results in defeat or disqualification. “…if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5).

 

Persevering despite obstacles. Adversity is a fact of life; the key is to persevere and push through, no matter how great the challenge. “…one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

 

Avoiding distractions. Top athletes can become tempted by many things that deter them from their mission. They must avoid anything that doesn’t help in achieving their goals. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1)

 

Maintaining a clear focus. Every athlete knows that to succeed requires intense concentration, developing a tunnel vision that focuses on the desired end result. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

 

Refusing to quit. Giving up, no matter how near or far the finish line may be, guarantees failure. Tiredness, setbacks and discouragement happen, but they don’t justify quitting. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

 

Remaining resolute. One reason for failure is forgetting the motivation for putting in all the hard work, the sacrifice and effort. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Rejoicing in a strong finish.When determined athletes reach the finish line, whether they win or not, they can celebrate as long as they’ve given it their best. No regrets.“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). 

Pursuing Lofty Visions of Greatness in a Very Ordinary Life

Do you desire to do something great, something that people in your community, even around the world, will remember long after you are gone? You know, leaving some grand, indelible mark that will ensure your legacy for many years to come.

I wonder if great inventors like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, or the Wright brothers had thoughts like that. Waking up one morning and thinking, “I know – I’m going to invent a light bulb (or a telephone, or a way for people to fly).” I kind of doubt that. Greatness is something that arrives without fanfare while someone’s in the midst of doing very ordinary things.

 

What about the great agricultural scientist George Washington Carver, who rose above slavery to develop techniques to counter soil depletion, discover more than 140 uses for the peanut, and become a college professor? Do you think he went to bed at night dreaming about how to achieve greatness? I think not. I suspect he recognized his calling, cultivated his passions, honed his skills, and along the way, became one of the most renowned scientists of his time.

 

One of the stark realities of everyday life is that it’s so daily, marked mostly with the mundane and rarely with anything spectacular. The legendary Helen Keller, who achieved much as an author, political activist and lecturer, despite being both deaf and blind, acknowledged this. She said, "I long to accomplish some great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." 

 

In a meditation in My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote, “We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us.”

 

Have you ever felt this way? No tickertape parade in your honor, no commendations, just the distinction of doing non-extraordinary work for little or no recognition? And yet, this is what God calls us to as His children. As Chambers also observed, “To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us absolutely humanly His. The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life.”

 

In one of His parables, talking about the importance of being faithful in undertaking responsibilities entrusted to us, Jesus declared, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" (Luke 16:10). To me, the Lord is saying, “Do you long to be engaging in things great and important? First, prove yourself trustworthy in doing the small, ordinary things I’ve already given to you.”

 

Writing to believers in the ancient city of Colossae, the apostle Paul affirmed that workers or employees, whether doing small tasks or pursuing great projects, should always keep their ultimate “boss” in mind: “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).

 

It's not about doing great things for God; it’s about the joy and privilege of a great God doing His work through us for His glory. That way, even if we have the opportunity to do something great and noteworthy, we know where the credit should really go.

Legacy: The Impact That Keeps on Giving

The term “legacy” isn’t going away any time soon. It became a fixture of my own vocabulary in 2001, when I joined the team of a non-profit named Leaders Legacy. Since then, it seems just about everyone has jumped on the legacy bandwagon. We hear about it on TV and radio, online, and many businesses have made it a focal point for their planning.

Despite living in times that encourage a right-now, gotta-have-it-immediately mindset, there’s a growing awareness of the need for a longer term view, that what we do and say today can live on many years after we’ve checked out of this life.

Maybe it’s a Baby Boomer thing, members of a generation aging and wondering whether they’ve made any difference at all in this world. I heard legacy discussed again recently when Mart Green, board chair of Hobby Lobby, spoke at a local leadership prayer breakfast.

Legacy has been defined, Green said, as “something transmitted, or received by others.” He elaborated that one’s legacy consists of “something someone’s achieved that continues to live on after they die.” He likened it to passing a baton during a foot race. A relay team can have a big lead, but if the baton fails to pass from one runner to the next, all is lost.

One’s legacy can come in many forms, including success in the workplace, fame, or contributions to society. Some people regard their estate or net worth at their time of death as their legacy. But many successful business people, celebrities, and wealthy individuals from decades or centuries ago aren’t even dim memories today.

So how do we build a lasting, meaningful legacy? Dr. Billy Graham, who surely left a legacy that figures to continue for a long, long time, offered this view: “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”

Simply put, but it says a lot. Proverbs 10:7 seems to agree: “The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” If that sounds too blunt, consider Proverbs 13:9: “The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.”

Lots of people may come to mind that are remembered for unsavory reasons, but who designs to do that? We all hope to leave a mark in life for positive reasons, don’t we? That’s why striving to build an eternal, spiritual legacy is wise.

The Israelites – and all of God’s people today – were given this admonition: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

One of the greatest investments we can make isn’t measured by dollar signs. It’s our children and the kind of people we’ve helped them become. As Proverbs 17:6 states, “Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." But the Scriptures make clear that physical offspring aren’t the only source of an enduring legacy. Spiritual children can be as well.

Years ago a friend showed me a special verse, Isaiah 43:4, in which God tells His followers, “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” Sounds like a fair trade to me. 

And 2 Timothy 2:2 gives a multi-generational picture of what this looks like. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will also be qualified to teach others.” That, from the Lord’s point of view, is a legacy that matters.

Standing on Shoulders of Giants

When we sing vintage hymns, we can be reminded we're
standing on the shoulders of giants.

Has anyone told you we’re, “standing on the shoulders of giants”? It’s used in many contexts, ranging from America’s unique system of government to science to education to entertainment to sports. It’s uncertain who originated the phrase, but 12th century theologian John of Salisbury expressed a version of it in his treatise on logic, Metalogicon, in 1159:

"We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours."

Centuries later Sir Isaac Newton, in a 1676 letter to his rival Robert Hooke, said, “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." A humble observation from Newton, regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time.

This idea, “standing on the shoulders of giants,” has resonated throughout my life in many ways. My first professional job was at a small newspaper in central Ohio, founded by a dedicated, hard-working individual in 1927. That newspaper served the area proudly for more than 50 years, and I was privileged to serve as its editor for 6½ of them. Even as a weekly publication, the Record was highly respected in its community and for a time, I stood on the shoulders of a giant.

More recently I’ve worked with several outstanding Christian ministries and non-profits also established by determined, visionary individuals. Because of their rich legacy of single-minded devotion to Jesus Christ, again I “stood on the shoulders of giants” in those organizations.

It’s important to remember those who have gone before and “raised us up.” They provided a sound foundation upon which we can build. Sadly, this notion is being lost in society today. Many seem eager to reinterpret the U.S. Constitution; some would just as soon discard it. True, it was written and enacted more than 200 years ago, but could it be the “giants” who collaborated in crafting it, our founding fathers, succeeded in producing a transcendent, timeless document?

Hymns like "Rock of Ages" reflect back on
faith that's passed on through the ages.

The same could be said of churches today, especially those that emphasize being contemporary, even “hip.” While I’ve never been a fan of the “we’ve always done it this way before” obsession with tradition, at the same time, just because something has been around awhile, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s obsolete.

For example, I enjoy praise music, typically accompanied by guitars, keyboards and drums. For some congregations, however, this has become their only form of music. I hate to sound like a curmudgeon, but while these spiritual songs are heavy on beat, they tend to be light on theology. Just as there’s room for all kinds of music in society, it would be nice to hear these occasionally joined by classics like Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” “It Is Well with My Soul,” or even an old Fanny Crosby song, some of which were borrowed melodies of popular barroom tunes in her time.

It’s not a matter of musical style, cadence, or orchestration. These beloved hymns, sung through the centuries, were composed by giants of the faith and represent some of the great traditions passed down from one generation to the next. As we look to Jesus Christ and anticipate eternity beyond this life, there’s danger of losing an understanding of our heritage, the paths blazed by brothers and sisters in the faith that helped bring us to where we are today. Maybe that was the impetus behind “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” written by Isaac Watts.

“Remember” is a word that appears often in the Scriptures. Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” It benefits us greatly to reflect on the wondrous works of God in times past.

But we’re also instructed to remember the saints who’ve gone before. “But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold” (Jude 17). An Old Testament prophet stated, “A scroll of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name” (Malachi 3:16). The so-called “hall of faith” in the 11^th chapter of Hebrews recalls those who stood firm in their faith, many times facing great adversity and even death.

King Solomon warned of the consequences of forgetfulness regarding the past: “Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This was something new’? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. These is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow” (Ecclesiastes 1:10-11).

Whether we’re using long-treasured hymns as reminders, revered statements of faith like the Apostles’ Creed and Westminster Confession of Faith, valued books and traditions, or especially accounts of Old and New Testament heroes, we must never forget that in worshiping our Lord and serving as His ambassadors, we’re “standing on the shoulders of giants.”