Legacy - Can One Person Change the World? What is your Legacy?

The last few days, pop culture has been flooded with news of Ozzy Ozbourne, Hulk Hogan, Malcolm Jamal Warner, and Anne Burrell’s passing.

I got some news last night that a family friend’s mother was getting ready to enter Heaven’s door. It got me to thinking about legacy. Her legacy and the legacy of so many others in my life that have been pillars in my life molding me into the person I am today --- flaws and all.

What is Legacy? Legacy - Making An Impact.

We all have a legacy and we have a major say on how we will be remembered and how that legacy will impact those who live contemporaneously with us as well as those that will succeed us.

Considering one’s legacy begs the question. Can one person change the world? What will my legacy be when I am no longer here? That is a very personal question that really requires a lot of reflection on each of our parts and some mid-course correction if your current legacy footprint is not what you intended it to be.

We all bring nothing into the world with us and we will take nothing out with us. That is a fact of life and death. We also never hear or know of anybody that wants one more hour of work or one last email or presentation on their deathbed. There is a poem by Linda Ellis entitled “The Dash,” I have another blog about the whole poem for another day, but for today the first stanza is important.

“I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of the birth and spoke the following date with tears.

But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between the years.”

How we invest those dash years depends on our priorities, whatever we may believe our calling in life has been, our ability to take a chance on someone or something even when circumstances deem otherwise, and how we choose to impact the lives of the people and world around us.  Being timid, afraid to take a chance, and withdrawing into your shell like a tortoise leaves a pretty small footprint in the world.

Like it or not, we all live in a fishbowl to a certain extent. The people around us --- family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, even perfect strangers all watch how we respond to life’s ever-changing circumstances. The good times and especially the bad times.

Sometimes, our small, individual actions can have far lasting impacts. I remember reading a story about an 1850’s Sunday School teacher in Boston, Edward Kimball, who invested his time with a young boy in his class. His witness and testimony helped that young boy to make a confession of faith. The young boy --- Dwight L Moody ---- went on to become one of the leading evangelists of that time ---- with lasting effects unto today. Ever hear of Moody Bible Institute, Moody Theological Seminary, or Moody Publishers? All have had worldwide impact in sharing the good news of the Gospel.

Edward Kimball’s story had another impact too. One Sunday, Dwight L Moody gave his testimony in a little church in Britian pastored by a man named Frederic Meyer. The story changed Meyer’s life. He went on to preach in churches in America, including one in Northfield, MA. In Northfield, a man named J Wilber Chapman responded to the sermon’s call to a life of commitment. Chapman went on to become an evangelist and took on a protegee named Billy Sunday ---- who led camp meeting revivals all over the country. His ministry impacted another evangelist named Mordecai Ham. In 1932, Mordecai led an evangelistic meeting in Charlotte, NC. One night in one of those meetings, a young teenager came forward and committed his life to Christ. That teenager’s name was Billy Graham.

The rest is history. You can read the full story here.

It Started With a Sunday School Teacher! | Vision for Christ

What would the difference in the world be if Edward Kimball had not invested his time and testimony with Dwight L Moody?

Many of us have been (or still are) teachers, mentors, Sunday School teachers, and even parents who have been investing our lives in the lives of others around us. Sometimes we believe coaching falls on deaf ears. I have worked with High School kids in numerous church and para-church ministries over the years. Many times, I have asked myself, “What impact am I having? Am I making a difference in any of their lives?”

I have always found some reassurance in the Edward Kimball story. Lots of teachers everywhere have struggled with the question of the impact they are having on their students. Sometimes we do not see any fruits of our labors, but those seeds planted often germinate on other days. Edward Kimball never saw the full fruits of his legacy.

As a footnote, I still see and hear from a number of the “teenagers” from my earlier day’s ministry. It really does take a village to raise a child. Children are influenced by many of the people in their lives. Hopefully, the people in the fishbowl they are watching and listening to provide a positive influence on their lives. Many of those “teenagers” from my earlier day’s ministry are now grown with kids of their own. They developed into incredible adults and are playing forward many of the life lessons and experiences from their youth. The village keeps playing it forward.

Legacies. We all have them. It takes time and effort to develop the kind of legacy to be celebrated ---- the dash between the end dates. How is your legacy coming?