Thursday, December 9

Rewriting your legacy

Every day, on the Christian radio station I listen to, they have a question for the morning. You can call in share your answer/thoughts and then sometimes they enter you for a contest, if you call.

The question today was "what kind of legacy do want to be known for?" And then one of the morning hosts asked jokingly what do you do if you want to change or re-write your legacy? I thought that was a very interesting and thought-provoking question.

How can you re-write your legacy? Or maybe your current legacy is fine but you want to improve or sharpen your legacy!  Personally, I want to sharpen my legacy. I want to be know more than just a nice person. (To provide an example, I thought I'd share some of my legacy thoughts from this morning to show how I have worked and am working through this. For what it's worth...)

My first thought was that I want to be known as someone who gave generously and abundantly. But then it occurred me that this gives me too many accolades, which I don't deserve regardless of how much I give.

My second thought was that I want to be known as someone who gave generously and abundantly because God blessed me. But I was unsatisfied with that...still too much me.

My next thought was that I want to be known as someone who lived simply so that God could use more of the resources He has given me, for His glory. To be honest, this one scares me. To live simply would take significant changes...hard changes, at first. So in an attempt to "soften the blow"...

My current thought is that I want to be known as someone who obeyed and followed God, regardless of the cost, whether financially, physically, or relationally. But really, while this is nice and not as scary, it is not clear and concise unless it was followed up by very specific goals.

Anyhow, these are thoughts in process...I'll probably mull over this for awhile yet. I encourage you to think about your legacy. Whether or not we think about it, we are leaving a legacy behind us. But I believe it is possible to change your legacy, if that is, in fact, a desire. You are not bound to be stay the person you are...your past or present circumstances do not have to define you but can be part of a testimony of how much you have changed, grown, or inspired others, in light of your past or present.

1 comment:

My name is Cait said...

I want to be known as someone who enjoyed God and enjoyed life.

Both of which I'm am currently failing terribly at ... thanks for the reminder that God is the one who redeems and writes our stories.