Legacy

“Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly” (Proverbs 13:22).

This week I have been reflecting a lot on leaving a lasting legacy. I came across a note I wrote back in 2014 off the death of one of my greatest inspirations, THE phenominal woman herself; the late Dr Maya Angelou. At the time of her death, I remember my social feeds being filled with her greatest moments, outpouring of love and it was only then, I realised how much of an inspiration she was to so many including myself. Her influence was undeniable. Her life had been filled with purpose. It was a life lived well…

In case you have never heard of Maya Angelou, here is one of her poems “Phenomenal Woman”:

I then thought about my grandparents. They did not have much in terms of material possessions but some of things they always instilled me was the importance of being kind to others and not to neglect the family. Most importantly, they pointed me to Jesus. My last conversation with my paternal grandfather before he died included him singing a hymn. A reminder that “Everywhere I go, I go with Jesus“. It is a song I have carried in my heart since then. I see that same spirit in my own parents.

As I pondered more on this, I started to think about my own life…If I were to die today, how would I be remembered? Would people talk about me as the Christian who was kind, loved unconditionally or identify me as another ‘hypocrite’ who spoke about faith but never really acted it out? Would they talk about me as someone who was resilient and ran the race with endurance rather than someone who lived on the fence; who cracked under pressure and did as the world did? Would they talk about me as the one who touched so many lives for the sake of the gospel? Or even touched that one life which ignited a fire and became a trailblazer for the kingdom of God?Or would they remember me as a self-absorbed person who was more concerned about personal gain than anything else?

Tomorrow is not promised but we are assured of the One who holds our lives; our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Live your life on purpose, with purpose in God…