Will we be remembered? What will we be remembered for? Once our lives are over and our time here is completed, what will be our legacy for those who come after?
I am hopeful that I will be remembered as someone who truly loved the Lord and tried to encourage others to do the same. I want my legacy to be that of someone who pointed the way to Jesus Christ as a teacher of the Word and as a brother in the family of God.
My inspiration in this comes from the apostle Peter. Listen to these profound words:
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 2 Peter 1:12-15 (NIV)
Peter was nearing the end of his life and what was foremost on his mind was the discipleship and the teaching of those whom he felt responsible for in the faith. Notice how he states he thinks it is right to remind them to continuously work out their calling and their election (go back to verses 10 and 11 to see this) not only while he remains in this life but also after he departs.
His letters and writings would be there for all to see and anytime someone read one they would be encouraged in their faith and challenged to put aside evil and cling to good. Even now, nearly two-thousand years later, we can still reference the writings and teachings of the apostle Peter and through the power of the Holy Spirit, be transformed into the further likeness of Jesus Christ.
What a legacy! What a thing to leave behind! What a thing to aspire to! That our words and our teaching would continually enrich and bless the lives of others, long after we are gone- that is something we should be working towards and the goal for every mature Christian.