Legacies

I heard a story long ago that I find worth sharing now and then. One cold winter evening after a light snow fall during the day, an older man walks slowly down the sidewalk, his cane tapping out the rhythm of his cadence. The sidewalks have been either shoveled, swept or just trampled leaving the concrete clear, but creating small piles of snow on either side of the path. As he walks, pools of light from the evenly spaced streetlights offer little sparkling oases on the walk, punctuating the darkness. Coming to one of these pools of light glittering on the snow, the old man stops.  Looking both right and left and seeing no one, he gingerly steps into the small mound of snow near the a lamppost with his left foot. Removing it, he then steps into the snow with his right foot. Finally, he punches a small hole with his can near the right footprint. Satisfied he’s left his mark, he continues slowly along the sidewalk toward a destination known only to him.

The need to feel as if we’ve made a mark, made a difference in some way, is apparently a pretty widespread need. The wealthy have college halls named after then, hospital wings, airports, even highway names mark the passage of those who’ve come before us. For most of us, only our gravestones will have our name engraved. Most of us won’t be able to leave a financial legacy, but all of us can leave a legacy of a different kind.

Those who were with Jesus during his ministry helped as they were able. Mary Magdalene and other women assisted Jesus’ work by providing financial support. The apostle and disciples of Jesus who were with him in the final year of his life believed Jesus’ legacy had to be proclaimed. Some wrote Gospels, some traveled to distant cities, even distant countries to tell and retell the story of the Son of God. Paul devoted his life to such travels and proclamation. Many more who spread this Good News are not remembered by name. Yet, each person who supported Jesus, who shared what they had or what they had experienced, left a legacy—a legacy that those of us alive today have inherited.

It’s that time again. A time when each of us can decide what our legacy will be. When we decide to offer our means, our abilities, our time to the work of Jesus. We don’t do this for ourselves; it’s not about this generation. We do this to assure the work of all those who’ve gone before us isn’t wasted. As the number of Christians in our land shrink, as our Protestant heritage becomes a minority voice, now is the time to consider very carefully our responsibility to unborn generations.

Peace, Jerry