Legacy

What am I leaving behind me? What will be remembered about me when I am gone? What kind of impact am I making? Often, little things remind me of my late grandfather. Thinking of him, it came to me that the legacy which he left behind him was great and I began to wonder what kind of legacy I will leave behind. Unconverted until the last three and a half months of his life, my grandfather was not what one would call a godly role model, one to emulate in the Christian life in his unregenerate state. However, he did have many good qualities and values which he passed on to his six children. The most important of these was his legacy of love. He taught the importance of love and of saying “I love you.” I cannot think of any family that says “I love you” more often than the family of Leo J. Wilcox. He taught us that those words are not to be saved for special occasions or Valentine’s Day, but that they are to be used frequently. Knowing that there are people who love me and care for me is a very comforting thing. Sometimes just hearing those words can brighten a day and bring a smile. His last words to me were “I love you.” Practically every time I hang up with an aunt, uncle, cousin, brother, sister, or parent, the words “I love you” are uttered by both parties. I even do this with many of my friends. Poppop's legacy was love. And yes, it is a very important legacy. As a Christian, though, I can leave an even greater impact and I should. How am I influencing others? Can they tell by my life that I love Christ? Am I evangelizing the lost and begging sinners to repent? While it would be wrong to do such things only to leave a mark behind me when I’m are gone, it does cause me to think. Am I living a godly life? Am I being sanctified? Am I guiding others toward the light or am I causing them to stumble? These are questions that I believe are legitimate for every Christian. Less attention should be paid to liberty and to walking a “fine line” and more should be paid toward seeking after holiness. This is needed in my own life and is something that I am working on. What kind of legacy are you leaving?