I Want to Leave a Legacy

"His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’"
Matthew 25:23

We spend our days searching for significance, looking for a way to leave our legacy. We want to know and be known, and we want to be known for something good.

Sometimes I plan my funeral. Yes, maybe a weird thing for a 24-year-old, but I want my funeral to be similar to one I attended a few years ago. One of my mom's best friends died of cancer. She had attended a mega-church, and at her funeral, the church was packed. People she had touched with her kindness, wisdom and passion for the Lord flooded the room to testify to the legacy she left.

Since then, I have often thought, I want to be the kind of person that packs a crowd at my funeral. I want to be that kind, generous, wise person that people want to remember and celebrate.

After reflecting more on this woman's funeral, though, I realized that, more than a celebration of her life, it was a celebration of Christ. She loved the Lord, and she poured His love into others in such a way that they turned their eyes upward.

How do I live that kind of life? How do I live to leave a legacy? How do I live so that the love of Christ I've invested lives on and takes root in the lives of people?

The best motto I've found to help me focus on this is JOY. Jesus. Others. You.

Jesus. Is Christ the most important One to me? Do I speak His name with love and joy? Do I devote my time and energy to knowing Him and making Him known?

Others. Do I put others before myself? Do I serve without grumbling? Give cheerfully? Love unconditionally? Forgive quickly?

You. Do I see my time as mine or as a gift from God to be invested? Do I care for my soul and invest my talents, financial and otherwise, so that I am able to serve the Lord with my all?

I fall so very far short, but I know He will help me live this kind of life if I continue to ask Him for guidance and strength. And no matter what people think of me at the end of my life, my greatest desire is that He say, "Well done."

What about you? Do you ever think about your funeral? Have you chosen a motto for your life?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello! I'm Faith. I'm a verbal processor who wants to love the Lord and love people with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I write to think and think to write. I don't drink coffee. I am a dogless dog lover. I enjoy hosting large parties in my home, and I enjoy being alone. Join me in looking to Him and pursuing A Radiant Face.

15 comments:

  1. I love this!!! I need to use JOY more often and remember to keep those things in the right order. Jesus, others, and then me. What a fantastic way to remember. Living without grumbling can be hard for me, so my motto would be "Serve well where He has you."

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    1. Love that. We must all choose to serve right where we are.

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  • Hylaandpeterechols.comMay 18, 2016 at 2:18 PM

    Great perspective on your priorities! So many of us young twenty something year olds get too focused on our futures we miss the lessons Christ is trying to teach us.

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  • Caroline @ In Due TimeMay 18, 2016 at 3:10 PM

    I don't ever think about it, to be honest, but I agree, I do want to leave a legacy. I love how we get to do that with our kids. Like generations will be changed because of the legacy we leave. Amazing to think about

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  • The only legacy that really matters is a legacy of faith

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    1. I so agree, Andrea.

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  • Megan Elford {WelcomeToTheZoo}May 18, 2016 at 3:26 PM

    Yes, I have thought about my funeral too, lol! My mom passed away a few years ago, and the crowds that came to pay their respects just blew me away. We didn't have time to sit down, let alone move, as lines of people waiting to see us and share their stories of Mom were unending. That's when I decided that I want to live so that my funeral is the same - long lines of people waiting to tell my children of how my love for Christ touched them. I'm not there yet, but one day!

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    1. Wow! What a testimony to your mom's life!

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  • I think about this too! What will people say about me after I'm gone? I want it to be that I represented Christ and loved on people.

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  • We just discussed this in Bible study! I am working each day toward leaving a Christlike legacy for my family!

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  • Once I became a mom, the only real legacy that matters is who I'm raising. But leaving a legacy of my faith in every way is all that matters. If Christ welcomes me home, the rest will take care of itself.

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    1. And I'm confident the Lord will honor your desire, Jenna!

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  • Denise RodriquezMay 19, 2016 at 1:07 AM

    This is so good, Faith! My husband says how he wants to plan his whole funeral, so you are not alone! Thanks for sharing this, you wrote this out so well.

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  • This is a great reminder for all of us! Our pastor always speaks on the subject of "Taking the High Road." We all need to daily die to ourselves. Blessings!

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  • This is such a great reflection, and a reminder that we do need to be aware of our behavior - if we are following Jesus, doing what he is calling us each to, and listening for His instructions every step of the way.

    Marissa

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