What Will Be Your Legacy?

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. —2 Timothy 1:5, NIV

We often think of legacies in terms of financial wealth.

However, I want my legacy to be about leaving behind not only what I have earned but also what I have learned. I want to leave an imprint of my spiritual life that will make a difference in the future of my loved ones for eternity, a legacy consisting of love for God, love of God’s Word, and an impactful, active faith. There are three things I want to bequeath.

First, God’s love: I want my life to reveal God’s love, to live a life that enriches someone else’s. It may be in the form of knowledge, resources, or skills.

My desire is for another person’s life to be enriched because I lived.

Through my walk with God and the values I live out, I want to impart His love in tangible ways. I want my legacy to make a spiritual and practical difference.

Second, a legacy of philanthropy, a generous heart: I may not be able to leave millions, but it is my desire to help others. It may be in the form of monetary resources, but more importantly, it may be in the form of service, time, or a kind word.

I want others to see a representation of Christ’s love in me.

I want my legacy to be filled with a heart of compassion.

Third, a life of obedience, according to God’s commission: I want my life to be a legacy of faith in Jesus, a life that can influence another’s life for eternity.

Second Corinthians 3:3 says, “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (NIV). A life of purpose, a life orchestrated by God.

I want my legacy to make a personal difference in hearts—even if it is just one! I believe God calls us to leave an identifiable mark of His love on the lives of others.

A legacy that contains the gift of eternal life is a direct and inclusive inheritance from God. It is clear that Timothy’s grandmother Eunice and his mother, Lois, left a lasting spiritual legacy upon Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5).

The gospel seeds they planted and their faith in Jesus have had a profound impact on many. May our lives be a living legacy today—one that will make an everlasting difference for the kingdom of God!

Ella Clark-Tolliver