Leaving a legacy
May 16th, 2006
Being a parent makes me think of leaving a legacy. Recently, I experienced two ends of the legacy spectrum. First, I had the privilege of speaking at a parents forum for Middle Valley Baptist Church where the parents desire to raise children who love God more than anything else in the world. Then I experienced the second end of the spectrum. I left that meeting and went to the mall to go by the discount bookstore…which is a hobby of mine…borderline addiction. As I left my car I noticed a man stumbling along with his two children who looked to be 3 and 5 years old. I thought at first that he was playing a game until I heard the 5 year old girl crying loudly when they got to the car. I decided to go see if I could help. I determined that the man was either drunk or he had some medical condition. He should me what looked like a recent scar from a major surgery. The girl was yelling for me to not hurt him…and the door shut so I could not hear the end of her sentence. He said he was going to wait for his wife and got into the car. He waited for a few minutes and then drove off leaving me in a quandry as to what I should do. I looked for the mall security because my concern for the children was growing by the minute. The mall security were no help so I jumped into my car and followed them. When they ran up on the curb while traveling down hwy 153 I decided that I had to call the police. I followed them to Walmart and called the police one more time. They said they were on the trail and that I should not follow him anymore. I obeyed and watched the blue Jeep Cherokee with Michigan plates drive off wondering if those children would be alright.
Experiences like this leave me a little more pensive than usual. What will happen to those children? Was the Dad drunk or did he have some other problem? I don’t know. I do know that a parental legacy is being left…either positive or negative. Parenting, by nature, is a legacy leaving venture. That reality makes me ask “What legacy am I leaving…”? Today I made another installment in “my legacy” with my twin daughters. Was it a day of blessing to those who crossed my path or a day of pain to those who “crossed me”? I’m reminded that four short years ago my Dad passed away. I realize more and more how my father left his mark on me. My wife reminds me (in a good way) when I do something that has the imprint of my dad all over it.
The idea of leaving a legacy is intriguing. The sound of legacy seems like it is something that is thought out and executed with intentionality and yet I find that most of us are coasting into whatever legacy we will end up with. I think the last thing I want is to coast into a legacy and yet I have to battle everyday to live with intentionality. It’s a battle because life is challenging and the days are long and who has the energy to read that missionary biography to their children after an exhausting day. And yet, there is no greater delight in the world than the delight found in God. Stories of great christians ignite the heart with passion for God and His purposes. God has put His hand on us as His children for a purpose and each day we must pursue His purposes for us our world.
We must work by the power of God in us to not COAST into the legacy God desires for us to leave!
How have your installments been these days? Is God being seen and savored by your life? Are people encouraged by your relationship with them? Leave a legacy of blessing.