On Leaving Behind a Legacy

Recently, one of my cousins passed away. Although I didn’t know him well, I attended his memorial service with my parents to show support for the family. I’m glad I did because I was so touched by what I heard at his memorial and all the kind words that were spoken about him. My cousin loved music and dancing. From what I understand, he was a jokester, a very common trait in our family. My cousin had also fallen upon some hard times in his life. There was a sense of brokenness there that led to the circumstances surrounding his death. This makes coping with one’s death even harder. Especially, when you know a life was taken way too soon.

Towards the end of the service, one of the pastors present got up to share a few words about legacy. It was then that I learned that my cousin had given his life to the Lord over 20 years ago. I learned that he dragged his sister and her best friend to church shortly after, where they both received Jesus. His sister has always stood out to me as someone who is fiercely passionate about the Lord. Not too long ago, she sat down with me and provided so much encouragement at a time in my life, when I was feeling overwhelmed and at my wit’s end. It would be my logical assumption that it was she that led her brother to the Lord, but this was not the case! From there, she introduced her boyfriend (now husband) to the Lord. Her kids are being raised to serve the Lord and I’m sure that God has used her family to touch the lives of many other people that need to experience the love of Jesus. This was all because one imperfect man took the single step of obedience to say yes to Jesus.

In the midst of a memorial service for one whose life was taken too soon, what a stunning reminder of a God who redeems and restores all that is broken. Even in the midst of our brokenness, our mistakes and all the falling down we do, God takes every yes we say to Him and makes it a legacy for His glory. The legacy we leave behind will consist of those people in our lives with whom we shared the truth of the gospel.

We are instructed not to focus our time and energy in this life collecting things that will eventually be destroyed. We are commanded instead to “store up treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). Mostly everything in this life, we are not able to take with us when we pass, but lives that have been transformed by the power of Christ’s love continue to be a treasure that radiate throughout eternity. Let’s live with an eternal perspective. Let’s leave behind a legacy.