Leave a Legacy That Lasts

When I was younger, I read a poem written by Linda Ellis called “The Dash.” She talks about the significance of the line separating the year of a person’s birth and the year of the person’s death. It’s a simple little dash. Nothing fancy. Nothing big. This tiny mark of punctuation represents what we stand for, what or whom we impact, and ultimately what legacy we leave behind.

Think about your life. What mark are you leaving behind? How do you want your life to matter?

I love what the authors of A Leader’s Legacy wrote: “By asking ourselves how we want to be remembered, we plant the seeds for living our lives as if we matter.”

Think about the legacy you are building right now. Are you cultivating a life of generosity? Kindness? Compassion? Are you investing in others? Are your thoughts, your ideas, or your words implanted in the minds of others? Have you shared your failings with someone so he or she can learn from your mistakes? Have you motivated others with your story? Inspired someone through your song? Loved your children well?

If you look back on your life, do you wish you had worked more? Eaten more dessert? Taken more classes? Bought that car? Or do you wish you had spent time with the ones you love, showing others that they matter?

Not many of us want to think about our mortality. We prefer to distract ourselves instead. We watch mindless TV shows, overstuff our calendars, indulge in hobbies, and entertain ourselves into oblivion to take our minds off the fact that we won’t be on this earth forever. We like to live like we’re invincible. But ignoring the reality that our days are numbered may leave the most important questions in life unconsidered and unanswered.

When we think about our dash, we can live with more passion. We can identify our priorities. We can be intentional in how we live. We can make a difference and do things that matter. We can make choices that might be hard but are definitely worth it. We can take a stand for something, knowing its impact can be far-reaching and can leave a mark beyond our lives.

Not long ago, I was in the process of reevaluating my goals and what I want to accomplish. Marker in hand, I stood in front of a giant whiteboard and started writing. In this brainstorming session, I noticed a recurring theme.

That day I realized that my number one goal in life is to show Jesus through the way I live and the way I love.

This doesn’t mean I always do it right or the best way, but it’s something I strive for.

I love 2 Corinthians 4:17–18: “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (NIV).

Trophies don’t last. Awards come and go. Impressive titles move from one person to the next. But how we live can make an eternal impact.

The ultimate legacy we can leave is a life of faith, believing the gospel and living in a way that exemplifies Jesus.

Think about your dash. Are you living in a way that is centered on yourself? Or are you leaving a legacy that is going to make a difference in the lives of others for generations to come?

I would love for you to share your thoughts! Text me at +1 (904) 441-5450. God bless!