My Greatest Legacy

In recent weeks, I've been coming to a realization with regard to the legacy I will leave on this earth.

Meg and I are naming our son Alexander Joseph.

There was no reason for the name choice other than, frankly, we loved the name Alexander. It wasn't until weeks after the name decision was made that my Aunt had reminded my mother that my great grandfather was Charles Alexander Lybarger and that my great-great-grandfather was Alexander Lybarger.

We had no idea that Alexander was a family name... Why? Well, simply put, time had passed, and we just did not remember our family legacy.

So, maybe it is impending fatherhood, maybe it is the realization how quickly my life is moving (does anyone else think 2009 is passing like the blink of an eye?), maybe it is simply a melancholy personality that leans toward the D.D.P. (Deep, Dark Place - more posts on that soon to come - HaHa!).

Regardless of the cause, I have been really thinking about my legacy.

My life is like grass, quickly fading. Anything that I could build on this life will, most likely, not be remembered by history within a century or two (and 2 centuries is giving myself A LOT of credit).

Most of humanity's accomplishments fade with time. Just look at the Egyptian Empire. Just for biographical information, I am a bit of a fan of history. My wife laughs because nearly every time she turns on the TV, the channel is set to the History Channel. I love to watch documentaries on Egypt. I love to see archeologists piece together a story from bits of info that may still exist. Though it was a great and thriving civilization that lasted for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, there is very little that we know today about the Egyptian Empire. What knowledge we do have is a piecemeal of facts and fiction by the leading scholars on the subject.

And hardly anyone can tell me the names of leaders from the Hittite Empire, which lasted for hundreds of years.

The point is: no great human civilization, no leader, no one person can so greatly influence the course of human history that all mankind will remember his/her legacy beyond a few years, or even measly centuries.

That is, of course, for the Legacy of Jesus Christ!

For over 2,000 years, humanity continues to learn more and more about Jesus: his life, his walk, his miracles, his death, his resurrection, his saving grace, his amazing feats, his matchless impact!

My legacy, my impact, my life pales in comparison to Jesus... as well it should!

I know that there is nothing on Earth that I could build to leave a legacy for myself. I am so unimportant in the scheme of things. Yet, I can have a tremendous impact. That impact is the legacy that I build into, the legacy of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom!

This may seem to you like "Christianity 101"... you may be saying, "Yeah Dallas, I've been in that place for years. I can't believe that you're just now catching up to what I've known for a long time."

Well, I would like to challenge you: have you really known that the CAUSE OF CHRIST is the greatest legacy you can leave on this Earth?

If so, what are you doing about it?

Are you simply working your job? Are you simply living day-in and day-out? Eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage? Are you just living your life? Going to church? Doing your religious duty? Voting? Doing your civic duty? Etc? Etc?

...OR...

Are you preaching the Gospel? Are you reaching out to the poor, the hungry, the needy? Are you living your life with the purpose of continually pointing others toward Christ?

Are you more concerned about the Legacy of Christ than you are concerned about Your Legacy?

Maybe that is what Paul meant when he wrote in Philippians 1 that "to live is Christ, to die is gain."

Our time on this Earth is so short. We should spend our energies impacting the world for Jesus and his lasting legacy rather than spending it in vain pursuits of our legacies, our wasting pleasures and our temporary comforts.

Anyway...sorry to get "preachy"... I just wanted to share with you where the Lord is taking me. I realize that, though it is Biblical and wise to leave my son, Alexander, a natural inheritance, chances are that Alexander's great grandchildren may not even know my name... but they can AND WILL know the name of Jesus Christ!

God, grant me the Grace to build your lasting kingdom and not my own temporary sand castle.