A righteous person walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him. Proverbs 20:7, TLV
Live Out Loud! What spiritual legacy will you leave behind? If we could examine the fruit of all we do — what we believe is most meaningful to us — what would it be? These are good questions, but a spiritual legacy is what is meaningful to those we leave behind, not necessarily what is most meaningful to us. And that caused me to ponder a bit.
Leaving behind money and property are certainly helpful to our heirs. However, if our life was devoted to earning these things at the expense of time with those we love, how great of an inheritance is that, really?
A Misguided Legacy
I am known as someone with an orderly, clean home. For many years, it was difficult to offer my home in hospitality because I was afraid of the disorder guests might cause. Or my hospitality was so over-the-top it wasn’t enjoyable to either me or my family. People stayed and visited with us, but it wasn’t as comfortable — in fact it was stressful — because I was fretful that everything had to be perfect.
A Breakthrough
A number of years ago, someone needed sanctuary. It was an 
emergency, so I didn’t have the usual frantic “make it perfect” time to plan. We were more concerned for the guest than perfection.
The visitor was grateful to have a safe place, it didn’t matter that everything didn’t look perfect or that I hadn’t made gourmet meals. What mattered was our prayers and listening ear and a bed to sleep in.
That visit was life-changer. I discovered the true meaning of hospitality. It wasn’t how beautiful our home was, or how great the food — it was how much our guest felt the love of GOD. And not only visitors, but my own family.
Today, our home is still orderly and clean — most of the time — but what I hope is most present is the presence of our LORD. That His presence abides whether we have company or not. That my family benefits from that legacy, rather than my being remembered as keeping a tidy home.
Our Legacy
What will live on in the hearts of others in our life? Our children? Our neighbors? Our friends? Will the impact of GOD’s love in our life be big enough to plant seeds in others’ lives?
Whether we’re teachers, letter-writers, authors, hosts, visitors to prisons or nursing homes, bringers of soup and meals, whatever GOD has gifted us to do, live it out loud, each and every day.
It’s how I want to be remembered, how about you?
Think More About It
What do you hope your spiritual legacy will be? How do you plan to live it out loud?
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