Leon's Legacy

Last night a pastor told me something I'll never forget.

He explained that years ago his life was going in the wrong direction.  He was abusing alcohol, using filthy language, and throwing his life away.  Then, the pastor told me this:  "One night I was in a car with your Grandaddy and he started telling me I need to let Jesus save me and change me."  As his story continued, he explained how he eventually did turn to Jesus.  His life was never the same after that.  He was forgiven of his sin.  He began living differently.  And he became a pastor.  His life was dedicated to telling people about Jesus.

Here's what I'm thinking:

My Grandaddy, Leon Richardson, got saved by Jesus and decided to spend his remaining years living for Him.

Then he told a wild, rebellious young man that he needed to do the same thing.

So this wild, rebellious young man got saved by Jesus and decided to do the same thing my Grandaddy did.

Finally, years later, this wild, rebellious young man is now a retired pastor who is still talking about how my Grandaddy bravely spoke up and told people about Jesus.

I stood there are realized that Leon Richardson left quite a legacy!  He invested his life in matters of spiritual and eternal significance.  He did good things that people still talk about today.  Even though he has been dead and gone for years now, his life still has a positive effect on people today.

Leon's legacy is a good one.

One day you and I are going to be dead and gone.  We will no longer be on this Earth.  Our face will not be seen and our voice will not be heard by anyone down here.

What kind of legacy will we leave behind?

Will people's lives be different because of things we said and did while we were alive?

Will people speak of us with a twinkle in their eye and a smile on their face because of how we spent our years on this Earth?

I hope so.

Let's make the most of our remaining years.  Let's live for Jesus, treat other people right, focus on things that truly matter, and make this world a better place.  Let's handle our days in such a way that future generations will be affected positively for years to come.

God has given us the gift of life.  We should make it count and do something important and lasting with it.  And when we do, future generations will be blessed because of it.