What's Your Legacy?

The casket is closed. The last hymn has been sung. The winch is slowly lowering your dead body six feet deep into the depths of the earth. As the final spectator leaves, as the last bit of dirt settles into place at the surface, one question remains: “Who was [your name here]?”

When they talk about you (and they will) what will they say? “He was a good man”, or, “he really took care of his family”, or, “that was a lazy dude”, or, “you know, he really never made an impression on me.” More importantly, what will your family say, those that knew you better than anyone? What would you leave behind?

Merriam-Webster defines legacy as “a gift of property; something transmitted (handed down) by or received from someone.” So what’s your legacy? What are you handing down for other’s to receive? The correct question for us to examine ourselves with is “are we handing down a spiritual legacy?” We often see movies where some rich great uncle leaves some un-expecting nephew like a zillion dollars. It usually happens when the nephew is at his lowest point financially, no money, no job, no nothing. Then some lawyer finds him and gives him this amazing news. Oh joy, oh rapture! His entire life is changed! Now he can function in this world and take advantage of all the benefits that are available to him.

One day you will not be here. Your words and actions will be long forgotten. You will be but a faint memory in the whisper of time. Who are you preparing so that when you’re gone they can function spiritually? What “spiritual package” are you leaving so that those who will continue on after you can take advantage of all the spiritual benefits available to them?

Dr. Tony Evans describes a spiritual legacy as a “moral compass” or a “divine frame of reference”. Will your children know “where” to go (spiritually) when you are gone? What standard are you preparing for them? One of the many problems in this world is that we have too many lost generations? From, “yes ma’am” and “no sir” to “naw man” and “mind ya own business popz”. From respect for the church and the things of God, to having no regard or shame toward their irreverence.

Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:14 to

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you...

That phrase good deposit (kalos in the original language) means the beautiful, excellent, eminent, choice, precious, useful, suitable, and magnificent. In order for Timothy to guard this amazing thing, it had to be first given to him. Is the spiritual legacy you are leaving:

• Beautiful – has the quality of pleasurably exalting the mind or spirit
• Excellent – superior, of higher rank, quality, or importance
• Eminent – standing out as to be readily perceived
• Choice – the best
• Precious – of great value, highly esteemed or cherished
• Useful – capable of being put to use
• Suitable – qualified; having fulfilled the specific requirements or standard conditions
• Magnificent – great in deed or exalted in place; marked by stately grandeur and lavishness

Let’s today begin to craft our spiritual legacies. Prepare them well and make sure they are “kalos”. Then give it to those around us and teach them to guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit!