Mission To Children

	About MTC	Donate Online	Contact Us

Home

Legacies, Part 2

Back a number of years ago, when the United States was erupting in becentennial celebrations, one man in New York received an interesting gift as a joke from a friend who was clearly tired of all the festivity. It was a beautiful plaque, and written on the plaque was this:

N.O.N. Historical Marker. On this spot [on] February 29, 1776, absolutely nothing happened."

Whatever else that is, it's certainly a creative non-historical monument!

After chuckling when I first read about that humorous marker, my mind wandered to grave markers. I began to wonder what it would be like if God wrote His assessment of our earthly sojourn on each tombstone. Can you imagine how awful it would be if He wrote from His eternal perspective: "In this life, absolutely nothing happened." That is NOT the legacy I want to have, and if you're listening to this program today, I doubt that it's the one you want, either.

In our last broadcast, we began talking about legacies, and we faced the reality that life on earth is very brief, compared to eternity. How can we extend our influence beyond our lifetime? How can we leave a lasting legacy that reflects our worship of The Most High God?

To answer that, let's look at two important ways anyone can extend our influence beyond our lifetime: memories and mentees.

First, memories. Over the years, I've spent quite a bit of time with retired people. A significant portion of that time is spent listening.

What do you suppose I hear most often? I hear them speak of memories. Memories about the way things were, about ways they have changed over the years and-note this-memories about other people who had significant influence on their life.

Are you a "significant other" to others? Probably so. Don't sell yourself short. Who are they?

The bad news is that you and I cannot control what memories others have of us. It's whatever they catch you or me in the act of doing. It's also whatever you and they do together-and that's where we can do something special about our legacy.

My parents died many years ago, and so I especially enjoy hearing about them from people with whom they worked and fellowshipped. As I listen to their friends, I get the benefit of a different perspective than my own as their son. Those memories of friends are a great encouragement to me. They are part of my parents' lasting legacy.

When you've passed away, what will people remember about you as they sit around the table drinking coffee and talking together about your life? Will people have memories of you pouring out your love for God in thankful and fulfilling service to others? Will they remember you abiding in God, walking with Him and hanging tightly to Him in good times and bad?

When Paul wrote to the Philippian congregation, he said, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." When he wrote to the Ephesians, he said, "I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you. They, too, were already building a reputation and a legacy that glorified God. How about you, listening friend?

Memories can be triggered by other means. It may be a photograph. It may be a song. It may be a "journal of blessings" that you kept during hard times, or perhaps a visit to places where you worshiped God in one special way or another.

Done sincerely—that is, without hypocrisy—memory making is a wonderful way to extend your influence. The pictures of lifestyle worship that you put into the minds and hearts of friends will be replayed over and over in the years to come.

Another way anyone can extend their godly influence beyond their lifetimes is by mentoring a "mentee."

2 Timothy 2:2 lays the groundwork for this, saying:

the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Discipling others has stimulated the Christian walk of thousands of believers. It's an outstanding way to grow and fellowship. Mentoring is similar, yet distinct from discipling.

As a discipler, you help another person develop the disciplines of a worshiper of God. As a mentor, you can provide modeling, close supervision on special projects and personal help in areas of life needing encouragement, correction, confrontation or accountability.

You may be pulling back from this idea, feeling totally inadequate for such a role. Recognize that anyone who depends on God's Spirit in them is a step ahead of one who doesn't. Honor God by depending on Him to enable you to help another person in his or her pilgrimage.

Here's how it works: A mentor is a wise and trusted counselor who is willing to help a less experienced person reach his or her goals. A mentee is the person being helped by the mentor.

Mentoring is simply the process of making the mentor's personal strengths, resources and network available to help the mentee reach his or her goals. The purpose is not to reproduce a clone of the mentor, but rather to more fully develop the mentee.

The process can be structured any way the mentor and mentee wish around the core question: "How can I help you reach your goals today?" Typically, they discuss upcoming decisions to be made, problems to be addressed, plans, progress since their last meeting, prayer requests and other concerns. This is all related to goals in such areas of life as family, finances, professional development or spiritual development.

By the way, relax. You don't have to know everything about everything to be a good mentor to a younger friend. A mentee may have different mentors for various areas of life goals. The relationship may be lifelong or limited. Mentoring, whatever form it takes, is a way for you to extend your lifestyle worship influence.

2 Timothy 2:2 - .The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.