By Robert M. Solomon

How will we be remembered after we leave?

Funeral eulogies usually contain nice words about the deceased and what he did, most of which are often forgotten with the passage of time. After all, how many of us can remember what our ancestors did? 

If we focus on leaving a legacy behind, our efforts are likely to be no more than acts of self-praise that dissipate with time. But if we focus on loving and obeying Christ, we will leave behind something significant and lasting. Let’s take a look at the example of Christ himself.

Jesus gave His disciples three realities:

First, He gave them His Holy Spirit. He promised them the filling of the Spirit, which was achieved at Pentecost and which transformed the apostles. The Spirit produced holiness in them (the character of Christ) and enabled them to carry on the ministry of Jesus. The Spirit of Jesus is His lasting legacy, because He will be with us forever (John 14:16).

Second, Jesus gave His disciples His teachings. Jesus taught with authority, like no other (Mark 1:22). He left behind a certain worldview, a certain way of looking at the Old Testament, and a certain way of faith and life. All this is captured in the New Testament—Jesus’ Word. 

Third, Jesus gave His disciples His peace. The risen Jesus greeted His disciples saying: “Peace be with you” (Luke 24:36; John 20:19,26). Jesus did not promise a stress-free life nor total freedom from troubles. In John 16:33, He says: “In this world you will have trouble.” But He also says: “In me you may have peace.” This is the legacy that Jesus has left behind which has inspired so many and which has been demonstrated in the lives of so many people throughout the centuries.

Investing in Our Legacy

Jesus left behind a people and His Word. He also gave them His Spirit and His peace. If these are the things He emphasised, should they not be also reflected in our own legacies, and in how we invest our lives and in how we spend our days and energies?

While we cannot impart the Holy Spirit like Jesus did, we can leave behind a spirit that characterises our lives. This legacy is something that represents our character, attitudes, ministry, and so on—it is a living legacy.

Bible scholar and author Eugene Bianchi suggests: “Perhaps the most beautiful legacy that aging parents can leave their children is a personally lived lesson about facing old age and death with courage and grace.” It is a legacy we can leave to both biological and spiritual children.

Every new day, we should ask ourselves: Why has God kept me alive today?

I have learnt two answers to that question. First, God’s work in me is not over; this has to do with my becoming Christlike. Second, God’s work through me is not over; this has to do with my ministry for Christ. On the day God takes me home, I will know that His work in me and through me is finished—to His glory.

What a splendid truth! Because God is working in us and through us, as we cooperate with God and let Him reproduce Christ’s character and ministry in our lives, we will leave behind a living legacy shaped by His grace and power.

Reflect:

As you reflect on Jesus’ legacy, what personal lessons are there for you? What can your reflections tell you about how you should live and what you should focus on?

 

Taken and adapted from Discovery Series “Thinking about Heaven” by Robert M. Solomon.

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