Jehoram was a terrible king. He reigned in Judah around the year 850 B.C. and he did not care about God or his people. His first act as king was to assassinate his six brothers so that no one could challenge his authority. He was brutal and selfish.
Therefore, when the Bible sums up his life, it says, “Jehoram… passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David” (2 Chronicles 21:20). Did you catch that? “To no one’s regret!” What a terrible phrase for your tombstone.
On the other hand, consider a lady named Tabitha. She lived in the city of Joppa in the first century A.D. and we are told, “… she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36). She became sick and died. This caused the community so much grief that they called Peter, who was in the nearby town of Lydda, to come and help them. When Peter arrived, a crowd gathered, bringing all the robes and other clothing that Tabitha had made for them (verse 39) and they begged him to do something.
Peter went into the room, prayed, and said “Tabitha, get up!” She was raised from the dead and given back to the people to much celebration (verses 40-42).
How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be Jehoram or Tabitha? Do you want to be someone who has little impact on others, dies and is never missed, or do you want to be someone who changed things for the better and is remembered fondly?
The better question is “What are you doing right now?” Our legacy is being created day by day and in real-time. The way we treat others, the small acts of kindness we do and the words we say are what people will remember us for. They may not remember your stuff, but they will remember how you made them feel.
Ultimately, this is not just about being liked or remembered well, it is about being like Jesus who, “… went around doing good” (Acts 10:38). Can we be like that? Can we bring the power and love of God into the lives of those we meet?
What are you leaving behind?
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