Boy Scout founder, Robert Baden Powell said,
“No one can pass through life, any more than he can pass through a bit of country, without leaving tracks behind, and those tracks may often be helpful to those coming after him in finding their way.”
I wondered what I am leaving behind as I go through life? What is my legacy?
I know we don’t talk about it, but there is a 100% morality rate. That’s right, one out of one will die. We are all finite beings.
So it begs the question, what will I leave behind?
We could choose to ignore this reality plugging along in life striving for the next achievement, relationship, or experience to satisfy the longing for significance and self-gratification we all have. Solomon put it well as one of the riches and wisest men when he said it’s all “chasing after the wind.”
We might make a lofty and more noteworthy goal like curing cancer, landing on Mars, or climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen. Sadly, many of the great pursuits have come at a cost. Families of those driven to achieve often feel abandoned. No one talks of the hundreds of climbers who have died attempting to climb Mt Everest and the thousands of family members left mourning their loss with no body to bury.
Most of us get derailed by the stress and strife of life and all the messes needing to be cleaned up. The big stuff is like boulders, we just want a way around them. But take the time to cut and polish that boulder and you get flag stones. Letting God give us the strength and inviting Him in to transform us is like taking the time to lay a path others can follow. Our example can be a lasting reminder when strong mortar is used. That’s the messy stuff that goes between the stones to keep them in place.
Leaving a Beautiful Legacy
Leaving a legacy is using the messes of life to learn, grow, and build. It’s more about how we deal with the mess than those grand noteworthy plans. It’s about who I am and how I respond when life doesn’t line up. It is mindful living; keeping an eye on each moment. It’s surrendering and obeying God when life’s not what I had hoped. When I keep my eyes looking up, He can change my perspective and use me to bless others.
Those who live with an eye on their mortality in light of eternity in Christ choose Intentional living This means they consider the lasting effects of their choices on others and it changes their path. For even if I never considered my impact I would still leave a mark on the world. Knowing this, helps me to decide what my mark will be.
So the good news is considering our mortality and legacy doesn’t have to be daunting, depressing, or overwhelming because we choose the trail we leave behind. Either a path is strewn with broken and discarded rubble or one lined with a lovely stone path others can follow or rest upon. The difference is made by what we do with the messy mortar; the unexpected injuries, roadblocks or losses.
It’s like any significant structure, it builds over time and there is risk because intentional living means staying open to those around us and offering bits of our heart. Using mortar means your hands will get dirty and blistered. There could be rejection, but I have found it to be the exception, not the rule. Sincerity is like a pleasant aroma easy to detect. While those hundreds and thousands of little choices along the way are like well-honed stones marking a trail for your children and your children’s children to follow.
What Will You Leave?
Marital betrayal and sexual addiction create a messy, broken path. Have you been through either and wonder about the legacy you will leave? Are you building a path strewn with broken and discarded rubble or one lined by lovely well-laid stones others can follow? No one beautifies the path alone, especially the path out of personal crisis and devastation. Need help for your healing journey? We want to help. See our Hope After Betrayal resources or email us for more information.
