This one a long time have I watched. All his life he has looked away...to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was...Hmm? What he was doing.
~Yoda~
Young Luke grew up in the shadows of the Jedi knights, yet never realized who he was until later in life. Despite his family history, he was blind to the man he truly was. I was reminded this this week as I listened to a radio minister talk about the legacy which we leave. What is it that we will ultimately leave behind for others to look upon? Far too many people have been judged by what they did, or did not do, during their lifetimes. So, what will be my legacy? What will I leave behind for others to know me by? That remains to be seen, but I add to it each and every day. I think the greater question is, what is it that we judge others by? I think of my own parents, long departed from this life. What did they leave behind? Well, for one thing, they left me. Yes, I carry a part of my parents within me whether I like it or not. For my own father left behind a legacy of what many would call failing as a parent. Yet, I was thinking the other day, how is it that God looks upon a man like my father? Does God judge my father for his life once lived? I don't believe so. I believe that God grieves for those who fail to realize who it is that they truly are in the Lords eyes. Every day I am surrounded by people, events and situations which, if I am not careful, will shape how I feel about myself. Do I slap myself because my neighbor doesn't like me? No, but I pray for him that God will reveal Christ in him as He did in me. I think that we put way too much emphasis on our lives and what we could have or should have done. We have been discussing the concept of God being all in all in our little circle. However, do we really believe in God being all in all when we believe that we ourselves are in control of our own legacy? How can God, the creator of all that we see, not be present in all He has created? I used to build model airplanes growing up. I recall the best one I ever built was a F-4 Phantom II. I spent hours on end perfecting it. In the end, I was proud of my creation. Yet, did I create it? I mean, the model came in a box with all the pieces I needed to assemble it already there. I did not create it, I simply put the pieces together.
Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15: 28
What is it about your life that you want to be remembered by? Money? Good deeds? Tell me, when you finally pass from this life will it at all matter to you what others remember you for? My mother was a good, Godly lady. Many who were blessed to have met her have described her this way. After her memorial service, I was amazed at just how many people commented to me that my mothers friendship helped them with their own relationships with the Lord. I don't know about you, but I'd take that legacy any day. The apostle Paul is remembered as one of the greatest defenders of the faith who ever lived. Yet how is it that Paul is remembered? Is he remembered for his ministry? Or, is he remembered for the lives of the believers he took as he sought to persecute the early church? I will tell you, that the deeds of the man Saul and Paul both accounted for a life once lived. I don't think that I need to elaborate too much on the fact that the life which we live is not our all in all. This isn't a one and done scenario. No, for once we've lived our lives for this short time, those who know Jesus will enter into a new life. Our life once lived will be no more. How will those who have known me remember me? Hopefully as the man I really am, the expression of Christ {Galatians 2:20}.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5: 17 NKJV
~Scott~
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