The lasting significance of your life…
Boxing legend Mike Tyson gave a striking response when asked about his legacy.
He said:
“It means absolutely nothing to me… I’m gonna die… we are dust… we’re absolutely nothing… our legacy is nothing.”
Pretty nihilistic, don’t you think?
Yet…
He got the dust part right.
“For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).
And he’s also correct that we’re going to die.
“For everything there is a season… a time to be born, and a time to die (Eccl. 3:1-2).
But…
Tyson’s conclusion–that we are nothing and have no legacy–is deeply mistaken.
Even though we are dust, destined to die, God’s power works through us to make an eternal impact.
“We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Cor. 4:7).
As a result, through the Spirit’s activity in us, we all have a legacy to leave:
A legacy of faith:
“By faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4).
A legacy of righteousness:
“The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7).
A legacy of loving service:
“You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).
Be wary of cynicism that undervalues your life.
What you do matters.
Your actions leave a legacy for generations to come.
And you build that legacy by the choices you make every single day.
“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).