{"id":2404,"date":"2022-03-28T13:14:51","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T13:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katiepolski.com\/?p=2404"},"modified":"2022-03-28T13:14:51","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T13:14:51","slug":"what-kind-of-legacy-will-you-leave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/katiepolski.com\/?p=2404","title":{"rendered":"What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I sat with a woman a few weeks ago who commented on the rings I was wearing: \u201cThey\u2019re beautiful,\u201d <\/em>she said. I momentarily gazed at the rings I\u2019d been playing with while we chatted and then explained that the jewelry belonged to my mother who passed away about six years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, how cool. What else did your mom leave you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had no idea how loaded the question was. Both parents passed away by the time I was in my mid-thirties, and because cleaning out my childhood home with my own young children in tow was so strenuous, many of their belongings were donated out of convenience, and several others were thrown away because of exhaustion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I regret that I didn\u2019t keep more. And we did not have an inheritance passed down, so in one sense, the answer to the question was pretty straightforward. After my parent\u2019s death, I was left with two small boxes of memorabilia and mom\u2019s wedding rings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s not how I answered the question because that\u2019s not what I think about when I consider what was passed down from my parents to me and my sisters. Instead, I explained that Mom and dad left us with a godly legacy, and that is something I\u2019m eternally grateful for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the absolute truth. There is no physical thing they could have left me that would have more value than their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think often about the legacy I\u2019m leaving behind, but when I do, my sinful thoughts all too quickly intrude. Rather than considering the example set by my Savior, my heart is swayed by the world\u2019s standards of what it means to \u201cleave a mark,\u201d resulting in unattainable goals and valueless pursuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in His kindness, the Lord gently reminds me through His Word that it\u2019s not <\/em>most significant that I pass on a large sum of money or that I’ve proved my worth through work and achievements. What\u2019s most meaningful is that I pass on to my kids a legacy of faith. And what\u2019s beautiful is that cultivating this legacy can begin at any time because of the precious grace and mercy of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what can we be doing now to create a legacy of faith that will be passed on to the next generation? Jesus tells us through His Word and by His example, and the answers look far different from what most of the world suggests is vital when it comes to leaving a legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love Jesus with All Your Heart<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In Mark 10:29-30 Jesus exhorts believers to consider the most important aspect of the Christian life:<\/em> \u201cLove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus tells us very plainly that of utmost significance is loving Jesus with all of us. <\/em>Cultivating a legacy of faith means loving Jesus first and foremost \u2013 more than our spouse, more than our children, more than our comfort, and more than our very life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And loving Him in this way means that He becomes our greatest passion; our energies are given first and foremost to nurturing our relationship with Him. Without having a passionate love for Jesus first, other acts of obedience become empty performances. Loving Jesus with all we have to offer is where we start in building a legacy of faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love Others with Christ-Like Love<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The verses in Mark 12 continue with Jesus telling His disciples what is the second most important aspect to the Christian life: \u201cTo love your neighbor as yourself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A legacy of faith is not cultivated by merely climbing the ladder of success. You can have the most menial job according to the world\u2019s standards and still have the most impactful life by simply treating others with dignity and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And our neighbors are not only the people we encounter on a sporadic basis. Our neighbor is the refugee family in need of physical support; it\u2019s the friend who is sometimes hard to love, the family member who is hostile toward Christianity, and the child whom the Lord has given you to love and to nurture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you seek, by the grace and strength of God, to respect these in your midst and show them the same kind of selfless love that your heavenly Father has shown you? In doing this, you\u2019re building a legacy of faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love God\u2019s Church<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The church matters to Jesus. Much of the New Testament is written to these local bodies to ensure that they continue to meet together in spite of trials and tribulations. You can\u2019t love Jesus with your whole heart and not love His church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have had a painful experience in a church setting, and if that is the case, I’m deeply sorry. These are not perfect institutions, and they\u2019re governed by sinners just like you and me. But don\u2019t give up on your local church. Ephesians 5 tells us that Christ loves the church so much that He gave His life for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This love, marked by sacrifice, gives the church beauty beyond its imperfections and honor despite its inadequacies. The church matters in cultivating a legacy of faith, so make it a priority. Choose its activities over others and immerse yourself in its community for the glory of God and the good of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving a Legacy of Faith<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

None of these acts ensure<\/em> that our children will walk in the same faith \u2013 that is in the hands of our loving and sovereign God. But simply striving to live for Jesus, no matter what your calling or vocation, ensures that you will leave a distinct mark in the lives of those who know you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember the moment I slipped the rings off my mother\u2019s finger and placed them on my own. It was in her last days, and because of her frailty, they no longer fit. When I took them off, I made her a promise. I didn\u2019t commit to keeping the jewelry safe \u2013 she wouldn\u2019t have cared. I promised her that I would live for Jesus and love Him in the way she taught me to love Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What will be your legacy? What are you striving for most in this life? The accolades and awards given to a person who lived a distinguished life are momentary and fleeting, but the person whose life pointed to Jesus will leave a legacy of faith that will last forever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I sat with a woman a few weeks ago who commented on the rings I was wearing: \u201cThey\u2019re beautiful,\u201d she … <\/p>\n

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