Survival, death, and leaving a legacy

Existence, demise, and legacy

Pastor of a little church here in town, just finished up with my 47th funeral service. It is a blessing to be in a position that allows me to be a pastoral presence for individuals as they face death or for their loved ones as they navigate the complex range of emotions that sorrow evokes.

Death may be seen as a relief, not just for the deceased but also for their loved ones who have been through so much with them. The unexpectedness of mortality or the shock of an unforeseen disaster may reawaken dormant sentiments of sadness and loss, drawing attention to the precarious nature of human existence.

The funerals I’ve attended have all caused me to pause and ponder on life, death, and everything in between.

We need to have more discussions on this.

Even though it is one of the three things that are sure to us in this life (the other two being taxes and change), most of us would rather not discuss death. Considering that we must all deal with it eventually, there’s no use in avoiding the topic. However, this is in fact the case.

What I’m wondering is whether or not we might reframe the debate around death, shifting the emphasis from the morbid details and concerns associated with dying to the legacy we want to leave behind when we’re gone. I’m simply embracing the fact that in time, it’s probably what most of us will be.

According to the Book of Job from the Old Testament, each person’s lifespan is predetermined, and I think that if we give some serious thought to what kind of legacy we’d want to leave behind, it would help us enjoy the time we have here on earth a little more. One’s lifespan is predetermined, as stated in Job 14:5: “You [God] have established the number of a person’s months, and you have set limitations he cannot surpass.”

Legacy determines life

If you took the time (don’t worry, I have) to look for the finest statements about leaving a legacy, you’d notice something striking: the overwhelming majority of the great philosophers and thinkers don’t speak about leaving a financial legacy, they talk about leaving a legacy solidly anchored in character.

However, the Western cultural emphasis on trying to leave behind material possessions and/or financial resources runs counter to the accumulated knowledge of the centuries. The funerals I’ve presided over, however, have confirmed to me that such items are seldom addressed as having any actual worth.

During memorial services, people tend to reflect on and reflect upon the deceased based on their defining personality traits, such as:

Love: how much affection was felt for this individual.

Family: the impact that a person had on the family and how things will never be the same without them.

Personality: what drove them, what they cared about, and how they influenced people around them.

Some of the deceased’s accomplishments are presented as background for the main tale, but they are less important than the individual’s qualities.

Paul’s legacy

“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me — do these things and the God of peace will be with you,” the Apostle Paul wrote to the early church in the city of Philippi (Philippians chapter 4, verse 9).

Paul wants the members of this church to take inspiration from his life and use it to leave a legacy of character that points others in the direction of God’s work in their own lives.

We know Paul worked as a tentmaker, but that’s not the legacy he wanted to leave. What he wanted people to remember about him was God’s ability to alter their life. Think about “whatever is true, what is noble, what is just, what is pure, what is beautiful, and what is admirable” (v. 8), or “whatever is good or commendable.”

Paul’s argument? Put the greatest narrative ever told at the center of your thinking, and you’ll leave a legacy in this life and the next that’s worth remembering and celebrating.

What you leave behind

There will be many more funerals that I will have the honor of officiating, and maybe one of them will be yours. I pray that the legacy of the people I am fortunate enough to know will continue to inspire me, and that the character I pray God will create in me will one day inspire my own children and grandchildren.

Considering your legacy is important since you will undoubtedly leave one. The specific nature of it is up to you.