As a history teacher, legacy is something I think a lot about. After spending an entire day retelling antique gossip about men and women of the past, it is natural to consider how I will be remembered after I am gone. Will others recall any monumental acts that promoted positive change in my generation? Will I have a building or scholarship named in my honor? Will people define me by my sins and failures?
In the book of Genesis, Joseph was the son of the patriarch, Jacob. After an unjust imprisonment in the foreign nation of Egypt, God raised Joseph’s status time and time again. Though rejected by his brothers, God made Joseph the second most influential man in the Egyptian government. His shrewd wisdom and leadership saved the lives of an entire nation and his own family during a severe famine. Joseph’s rise to power is a great story worthy of remembrance, but even though his heroics were monumental for the preservation of the Hebrews and Egyptians, it did not take long for Joseph to be forgotten in the nation he is credited with saving.
In the next book of the Bible, we can see this about Joseph’s legacy.
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
Exodus 1:8
This verse struck me as I read it this week. It caused me to think deeply about the reality of our fading life legacies. This sentence is a testament to our fleeting honor and remembrance among the people of the future. For most of us, we will be mostly forgotten once the last person who knew us has passed, and the stories of our lives will be erased from pages unread in books unopened.
So what about our legacies? Do they matter? Absolutely. The implications of this verse should call us to aim for something higher and greater than a name on a building. At some point in the future, those facilities, institutions, and even cities will cease to exist. God’s kingdom, however, is eternal. Christians, your everlasting legacy will be how you affected the advancement of Christ’s kingdom on earth. You do this when you teach your children about Jesus, share the good news with a neighbor, or serve fervently in the local church. Though your name may not be remembered in the next century, future generations will know Jesus’ name because you have chosen to live for the legacy of the kingdom of God, and this process will be repeated again and again until Christ returns.
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who live to make Jesus known today, for they are building a gospel legacy that will affect the knowledge of God in all future generations.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
