Leaving a Legacy

In our young women’s Bible Study on Wednesday nights we have been studying the passages in the Bible that relate specifically to being a godly woman, wife, and mother. This evening we were finishing our discussion on Proverbs 31:10-31. The passage begins with “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels” and it ends with “Give her the product of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates.” All through that passage we have learned just what it is that this excellent wife is, and it is a hard example to live up to in a lot of ways, but a very encouraging and inspirational one. The proverb ends with this woman’s legacy of hard work, great gain, and praise and respect.

Someone asked during the meeting for each of us to write out our own legacy. That is, if  we were to die, at the end of our life, what would we wish to be remembered for? Someone suggested thinking of it as what we would want written on our tombstone perhaps. And so we all did, and it prompted an encouraging discussion about how to actually live the lives required of those legacies.

My legacy that I hope to leave is this:

She laughed often, loved deeply, and lived for the joy of others and for the Glory of her God and Savior.

I truly hope and pray that I will live up to those words. I know I won’t be perfect, but if I can be filled with joy overflowing, love others as Christ has so greatly loved me, and live my life in serving and glorifying my amazing God and wonderful Savior, how could I ask for a life more full than that?

So, my question for you, reader, is, what is your legacy? What will you leave behind at the end of your life? An empty life with no meaning or purpose, and nothing to encourage others? Or a life brim full of love, sacrifice, joy, and service?

One of my absolute favorite quotes that I have tried to live my life by is an, as far as I know, anonymous one.

Only one life, T’will soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

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