Only One Life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
(CT Studd)
So, what legacy would I want to leave behind? That’s an interesting question. When I was young, I dreamt of being famous or important. Maybe it would be easier to answer the question if my dreams had come true 😀. But I’m just an ordinary guy. I was listening to a podcast some time ago, and the guest was asked how he’d like to be remembered. He laughed and said he’d prefer to be forgotten 😀. And maybe most of us will be forgotten and will be happy to be forgotten. But still, so much of what is good in the world has been shaped by people who are forgotten.
I was quite impressed by what Paul McCartney said about raising children. He, and his wife Linda, said the main thing they wanted is for them to have good hearts. By this, I assume they meant kind, generous, and compassionate. Regardless of your religion or lack of religion, your goal should be to leave the world in a better state.
This is a Christian blog, so I would like to think that I had some influence in spreading the gospel and encouraging people in their faith. Many big names have encouraged me, both historical figures and contemporary preachers and teachers. Some of them are listed on my Recommended Audio Resources page. I cannot hope to match the influence of any of these. But ordinary Christians (like me 😀) have also influenced me. When I first started attending evangelical churches, one of the first things I noticed was that ordinary people were happy to discuss spiritual matters. Why should that surprise me? If I go to a golf club, people talk about golf. If I join a local history group, people talk about history. But when I was a Roman Catholic, few of my friends would discuss spiritual matters. If they did, it was almost from an agnostic point of view. You might find groups such as the Legion of Mary who would have enthusiasm for Catholic traditions, but I was more interested in the New Testament than in saints and statues etc.
So how does this relate to what I would like to leave behind? Well, I have so many memories of nice ordinary people who have been a joy to be with. Not all are church-related. It might have been friends, school mates, work colleagues. I might not have seen them for decades, but they pop into my mind and still bring me joy. And at a church level, many have likewise, been fun, but also encouraged me in my Christian faith. To do this, they didn’t need to be super saintly. I think of any old quote someone one mentioned to me 😀:
Some people bring joy wherever the go. Others bring joy whenever they go.
So, when I die, I still hope that people will remember me as someone who made life more pleasant and who encouraged them in their faith. And when I am well and truly forgotten, like millions of others, I hope I will have helped in some small way to make the world a better place and to have helped in building the church of Christ, though ultimately, it’s Christ himself who is building it.
One last thing to mention is prayer. However powerless or limited I am in other ways, as I grow older, I can affect everything through prayer. You don’t need to be a big name to pray. And when I am gone, whatever I have accomplished in this respect will remain.
Here’s a hymn based on a poem by CT Studd:
And here’s a more modern song, wishing God’s blessing on your children and all who follow. Not everyone has children, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t influence future generations:
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
And of course, we musn’t forget that it’s not just about this world. We might be forgotten on earth, but all those who trust in Christ will meet him in heaven:
Revelation 7:9
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Hibernia Gospel 