Sorrow, Loss, and Legacy

I attended another visitation/wake for a friend this past weekend. This gentleman lived a wonderful 89 years. We who knew him grieved our loss, but something absolutely amazing caught my attention. At the service, his daughter told me that, as far as she knew, no one had said a bad word about him in all those years. What a legacy to leave behind.

Part of his legacy is a family with very successful children and grandchildren; successful in many ways, worldly and spiritually. Another part is his own personal successes, which were substantial. But to me, the most amazing part of his legacy is the positive image he left behind. After 89 years, not an ill word of him is known. Amazing.

Of course, I know that somewhere, sometime, someone said something less than positive about him. That is human nature. He was too successful for someone to have not said a jealous word somewhere along the line. But that's not the point. The point is he lived his life in such a way that people propagated the positives of his life, and downplayed the negatives. In our world, that is rare. Look at the news--tragedy and failure sell, while no good deed goes unpunished. People thrive on sensationalism. One bad apple spoils the bunch, and that is true of our legacies as well. One bad day can sour years of otherwise spotless reputation.

But there are standouts in this world. My friend was one of them. 89 years. His legacy stands. What will my legacy be? Or yours?

When the grieving is over, and the shock of sorrow and loss lessen, what will people remember? What will people pass along in their stories as they wait in line to shake hands with and hug my family members? Or, for a more true picture of legacy, what will they say a week, a month, a year after I am gone? That is when people will say what they really think.

My friend's daughter laughed--that sorrow tinged laughter that you hear at funerals--and said that she had already missed her chance at such a legacy. I knew what she meant; I too have already had people say a bad word or two about me--and I deserved it.

But legacies can be repaired. Sins can be forgiven, both forever through Jesus Christ, and amongst ourselves. A legacy is really the sum of what we do. We can never earn our way to Heaven--that comes only through Jesus--but we can earn a positive legacy. And that matters. It matters because a positive legacy is evidence of a life well lived, a life full of joy, generosity, love, and happiness. Not so coincidentally, all of those are important to God. The same things which cause us to leave behind a positive legacy are pleasing to God our Father. Two birds with one stone.

So, I repeat my question from above. For myself, I ponder what my legacy will be, and purpose to act to improve it. As for you, what would your legacy be if you left this world today, and what are you going to do to change it?