Leaving A Legacy

1 Chronicles 29:28

Then he died in a ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor; and his son Solomon reigned in his place.

As every one of us one day will, Kind David breathed his last breath. When the writer of Chronicles came to the end of recording David’s life he writes one simple statement. The author tells us that David died an old man, full of days, that he had riches and honor, and that his son took David’s place as king of Israel.

Just as David did, each one of us will leave a legacy behind. I have often wondered just what my legacy will be. How will those that remember me describe me to those who never met me? Will I be seen as a good guy or a bad guy? Will people say that I was serious or funny, an optimist or a pessimist? It is my prayer that people will remember me as a man of God. Well, at least this should be my prayer. A godly life is nothing that I will obtain on my own. Nor is it anything that will come about by chance. If it is truly my desire to be remembered as a man of God, I must make it a way of life. I must rise every morning in anticipation of living for God. Spending time with God must become a joy and not a burden. Doing well to others must be looked forward to, and not avoided. If I am to have others remember me as a person that loved the Lord, I must love the Lord consistently.

How will you be seen when you are no longer on this earth. Will the less fortunate be glad that they knew you, or pleased with your absence? Will old friends from school remember you as a bully or the only one who cared? What about your parents, or your children, are you godly examples to them? Will acquaintances remember you as someone that loved the Lord, or be surprised to find that you knew Him at all? I pray that I would live each day more fully for the Lord than the last. I also pray that the Lord will draw you closer to Him each day. When all is said and done, however, the way people remember you… is up to you.