Joy, Love, Positivity Episode 5: The Legacy of Love

This past weekend I had the privilege of celebrating a dear woman’s 70th birthday. My church, who has been heavily blessed by her character, threw a surprise party after service. At the beginning of the event, a few people expressed their feelings towards her and what stood out to me was one repeated word.

Love.

In an older article titled A Call to Love: The Greatest Ministry, I explained my belief that the greatest act we could perform on this earth is love. When Jesus was questioned on what was the greatest commandment, he stated

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-40 NLT

As I listened to the heartfelt testimonies of this wonderful woman’s impact on the people around her, I felt a longing stir in my heart. A longing formatted more like a question than a statement.

What will last of me after I’m gone? What will people say about me in 30-70 years?

When my friends, family, and community speak of me on my 70th birthday, what will they say? I’m sure out of courtesy they wouldn’t say anything awful. However, would their speeches be fluff filled stories of meaningless moments and basic compliments just to pass the time? Or will they be deeper, richer, impactful. When they take that mic, will they gaze into the eyes of those I have loved over the years and tell their own story of how I have loved them. And just like this dear woman, will every story of my love resonate with everyone in the room.

You could see it. Every small nod, and subtle smile as the words of thankfulness that came from each speaker was evidence that the love this woman gave was experienced by everyone in attendance.

This woman loved, and she had loved for decades.

And so it was, on her 70th birthday, she was able to be surrounded by all the love she had given over the years.

Legacy

While writing this I was briefly reminded of a podcast clip I saw on Instagram. A man, appearing to be in his late 30s early 40s, expressed his belief that his children were his legacy. It didn’t matter that he was in and out of their lives, or that he never cared for any of their mothers. After he was dead and gone he believed his children would remain to pass down his legacy.

Sitting before me, teary eyed and emotional, was a woman surrounded by legacy. Children gravitated to her like candy and hopeless individuals could always find a small glimpse of peace in those tight hugs she was so good at giving. Those who spoke weren’t just her family. Her pastor, a woman she mentored since childhood, her niece and grandkids, her husband, and her church community were witnesses of her character.

Her legacy is not solely her children or even her grandchildren. It’s the unending love that can always be found in her that will follow them for the rest of their life. This woman’s legacy passes on in every kind word, back rub, prayer, and act of love she gives daily. The world cannot love the way she loves. What she provides, is an eternal impact that only the holy spirit in her could give.

What remains?

Not to be morbid but I’m going to die one day. That thought doesn’t scare me as much as the fear that my life will fade away without leaving any impact. When my time has come, what will stay behind to remind the world that I was here?

Once again, it is love. What lasts is love.

Who we love, how we love, how greatly we love is what will imprint in the hearts and minds of those we leave behind. Our love is our legacy.

And if God is love, then our legacy is explained by how much God was able to reveal his character through us.

When we’re long gone and our memories fade from the family tree, I pray that our legacy of love continues for generations.

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