Devotionals by Dr. M. Craig Barnes
O Lord, what are human beings that you regard them? ...
They are a breath; their days are a passing shadow. --
There's a lot of interest these days in the topic of legacy.
A legacy involves more than what you put in a will.
It's also about your reputation, relationships, significance, or what you've
invested
in the lives of those still living. Your legacy is what we'll talk about at
your funeral.
No matter how significant you may be in this life, however, according to King
David,
you'll never be more than "a passing shadow" on earth.
And he had one of the greatest legacies in history.
Why would David sum up his own legacy as being nothing more than a passing
shadow?
For one, even if people do remember you fondly after death,
that's small consolation for being, well, dead.
Also, worrying about your eternal influence can make you waste your few fleeting
years
trying to do something that will outlive you.
Your calling is actually to receive the day you have with a grateful heart
and not to worry so much about tomorrow.
You are also called to live "in Christ" and serve his coming kingdom.
That's your only hope for living a life with eternal significance.
To live in Christ means that when people look at you they see the legacy of a
Savior who loves us.
So if at your funeral we are not talking more about Jesus than we are about you,
we have missed the point of your life. And so may have you.
-- Craig Barnes