The Legacy

Last year when I was home for christmas, my mom pulled out several old bibles that had belonged to my grandparents so that we could pick one out and keep it for sentimental reasons. The one that I selected was a raggedy old Scofield Referance Edition. It had an antique look to it which I thought was cool, so I put it in a ziplock bag since it was in fragile condition and brought it home where it has been sitting collecting dust. The other night I was searching through my bookshelf looking for something to read and the bible in the plastic bag caught my eye, so I pulled it out of the ziplock and started thumbing through it. Time and use have left thier mark. The spine is broken , the pages are yellowed and crumbling, and scotch tape can be found throughout trying unsuccessfully to hold everything together.

The bible is a 1917 edition KJV and has my grandmas maiden name and my grandpas name inside the front cover. As I carefully flipped through the pages and saw the time faded notes and markings it really prompted me to reflect on the role they had played in my life, both directly and indirectly. My grandma passed away when I was pretty young, about second or third grade. Although I have many great memories of her I did not have the chance to grow up with her around. My grandpa died of a stroke when I was 18 so I had the privilage of having him in my life for a longer time.

Anyways, the whole process got me thinking about legacy. Last sunday I was talking to someone visiting my church who worked with an organization called Life Choices. The founders of Life Choices are the aunt and uncle of Rachal Scott, one of the thirteen that was killed at Columbine. Her faith and compassion in life has become the foundation of a movement that has impacted thousands and thousands even in her death. That is legacy. If you don't know her story, you should do a quick search online and check it out because its powerful. My grandparents left a legacy too, one the was passed onto their children, and one they are in the process of passing on to everyone they come into contact with. Its not a legacy of physical riches or possessions, or of status and position. Its a legacy of a life lived in the pursuit of God, which was made evident in their love and compassion for people around them. Its a legacy that has and will continue to impact people forever.

I like to think of legacy as the momentum of a lifes testimony. The testimony of a life lived for Christ moves with such weight that it is carried here on earth far beyond death. If I were to die tomorrow, what would people remember me for? I like to think that someday far from now when I am long gone, the friends of my friends and the children of my children will somehow be impacted by the choices I made in my life. I have been passed on a heritage, what happens to it is up to me.