Based on 2 Timothy 1:1 – 2:10 (New King James Version)
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
There are people who care and strive to leave a legacy behind them. There are people who wish to leave a legacy for the human race, be it a great scientific, or mathematical, or medical achievement, or even in the form of art such as music, or painting. There are people who want to leave an impact on others, be it their children or families, or loved ones. There are people who strive to leave a company or business behind them so that others can survive after they are gone. A being that sees beyond their person is concerned about leaving something behind them, for those who remain after they have left, and are not necessarily spiritual people or have divine knowledge.
Now, is it wrong to worry about leaving something behind oneself for the good of those left behind them? Of course not. It is good that a human being cares about leaving something good behind them, be it a father or a mother who worries about the well-being of their family after they leave, or people dedicated to noble things who help their fellow man in some way. Either way, leaving some kind of good for someone else after your departure is admirable. And it would be of great value to humanity if there were more people who thought about the well-being of their neighbors instead of just thinking about themselves. We live in a very selfish world today. And even worse, there is too much selfishness within the church of God. So, it is good to worry about leaving a good legacy behind, but we have to think about the duration and impact of what is left behind, that is, what is the greater good. We know that everything in this world is temporary. Everything that we can detect with our senses will cease to be one day. Although we go to other planets, as some think, for the good of humanity, there is something that never changes, and that is that every human being will die at some point. So, no matter how hard we try, if we leave things behind that only impact the temporal world, so will the contribution be—temporary, limited, finite.
So, thinking this way, what is the best legacy that any person can leave behind? The eternal, the divine, that which can last forever. The Apostle Paul thought and dedicated himself to this, as we could read. And in order to do the same, we must look to God, because God is the only eternal Being that exists, just as it is written: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself focused on this very thing for the good of all of us. The Lord did heal the sick, feed the multitudes, free the demon possessed, and even raise the dead, but His main focus was sharing the Word of God and fulfilling the sacrifice that would give us all eternal life. He gave us eternal life and the purpose that comes with that (because the purpose for eternal life is to do the will of God). The Lord did not have physical children, but He did leave an eternal legacy behind Him, as it is written: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:10-12.
There was another who also left a legacy, although he lived but a short time after his conversion, and that was the thief on the right. This is what the Word says: “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43. This man did not have years to do things for the Lord like Paul did, but with his few moments, He exercised an incredible faith, and he even justified and defended God Himself publicly, while the Holy One was in His worst physical moment. There is none other that has left such a legacy of faith like this man. He was able to see God fully even in His most difficult moment. So then, what kind of legacy are you leaving? Lord bless! John