What Will Be My Legacy?

In a previous newsletter I told you about my friend from the Day School.  He and I hung out together most every Friday for just a half an hour.  We would do a work sheet, have a snack and tackle a project that I would come up with around the church: sharpening pencils in the pews, refilling the paper towel dispensers, helping the Deacons clean mulch beds and our favorite - looking for dead rodents in the crawl space under the church.  

I had suggested to Mrs. B that he might benefit from spending time with me because I’ve done this before.  Nothing miraculous, just time together, listening, talking and working.  The Bible word for this is ‘discipleship’.  Nothing fancy, but evidently a little intentional time here and there can have lasting impact.  The picture above is a gift that my friend gave me.  The inscription says, “Thank you for helping me build my life”.  

I’ve had a handful of notable moments in my life and this is one of them.  If I could be known for one thing this would be it.  I want to be known as a ‘builder’.  Yes, I’ve built additions, even a house and many renovations, but to be known as a builder of people would be the greatest achievement.  And isn't this what we are all called to do.  Jesus uses a lot of metaphors in the gospels that compare farming to growing people.  He was a carpenter by trade.  The disciples were fishermen.  So, doesn’t it make sense that we can take our occupations, hobbies or trades and apply them to the Christian life?

Let’s use our God-given talents to contribute to the flourishing of our lives here on earth as well as building into the people that God puts in our path.  I do what I do not just because I’m a pastor.  It’s up to all of us to pay attention to nudges from the Holy Spirit to make that call, stop by that person’s house or pray because you sense they need it.  Our lives are all about discipleship.  If we call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ we are to do as He did…make disciples.

The people in biblical times were always building things: houses, cities, altars, temples, walls, etc.  Very few of these are still standing.  But the people they built into were then able to pass on what they learned to the next generation.  What will we pass on?  What will our legacy be?