22: How Do You Define Legacy?

His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.

PSALM 112:2

AUTHOR JOHN MAXWELL WRITES this about defining one’s legacy, “Success means having those closest to me love and respect me the most.”[1] This is a powerful perspective as one reflects on legacy.

Everyone leaves a legacy of some sort. It’s up to each of us to determine what that legacy will look like. It’s wise to give some thought to how you define legacy and to consider what kind of legacy you’d like to leave.

Here are four questions to help you clarify your thinking about legacy:

  1. Who are you investing in?
  2. How are you investing in the marginalized? St. John Chrysostom wrote, “The rich . . . must hold their property as stewards for the poor.”[2] During three years of recorded ministry of Jesus, we find Him most often with the poor and marginalized of society.
  3. Do you have a will as part of your estate plan? How current is it?
  4. How are you practicing generosity for legacy purposes? Remember that your resources do not ultimately belong to you. You’re a steward of the resources that God has entrusted to you.

Questions

  1. Who in your life could you invest in? You may wonder why he or she would want your counsel; however, don’t underestimate yourself and your years of experience.
  2. What would you like people to say about you at your memorial service? What do you need to implement in your life for those things to be true of yourself?
  3. What would you like your children to know about the legacy you’d like to leave? How can you communicate this to your family?