Legacy

The last few days have been notable for a number of "celebrity" deaths.  First came news of the death of legendary singer and musician David Bowie, aged 69.  I wasn't a particular Bowie fan, but I could appreciate some of his music.  A few days later we heard about the death of actor Alan Rickman.  I greatly admired his acting, and especially loved his portrayal of the Sheriff of Nottingham in the film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, and Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films.  Most recently of all, it was announced that Dan Haggerty, best know for playing the lead role in 1970s film and TV series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, had died, aged 74.  Each of the three men died at a relatively young age in modern terms; perhaps significantly, they all died of cancer, a disease which is no respecter of persons.

I was surprised at the vast amount of news coverage which was given to Bowie's death in particular.  It seemed like the world and their dog were rolled out to pay their tribute.  Clearly Bowie's life had a tremendous influence in various areas of the entertainment industry, but I did wonder whether the BBC really needed to devote 15+ minutes of its main news bulletin to Bowie's death, especially when such momentous world events are currently taking place.  One of the words which inevitably came up in conversation when considering the lives of those who had died was LEGACY.  What legacy do they leave behind?

When I went out early this morning I saw that the pavements on our road were covered with frost.  There were signs that one or two people had been out before me, as indicated by light footprints in the white of the frost.  Soon, however, the sun came out, the frost melted and the footprints disappeared.  Each person, by their life, leaves a legacy of one kind or another.  I find the thought really challenging: what will my legacy be?  Will it disappear as quickly as footprints on a frosty pavement, or will it be a more lasting legacy?

When someone dies, whether it be a so-called celebrity such as Bowie, Rickman or Haggerty, or whether it be a person unknown to most of the world, inevitably there will be those who make a judgement on that person's life and legacy.  Ultimately, however, human judgements don't count.  What really matters is God's perspective on our lives.

The apostle Paul, in a passage in which he addresses the reality that our life on planet earth is temporary, writes to Christians in Corinth,  'More than anything else, however, we want to please the Lord' (2 Corinthians 5:9).  I pray that pleasing God will be my desire, too, and that by pleasing him I will leave a lasting legacy of worth in God's eyes.