Dear Trekker,
In days past, I’ve spoken about the subject of “leaving a legacy.” In essence, I opined that if you are living your life for the purpose of leaving a legacy, you may misunderstand life and legacy. But I feel the need to say more.
Now, don’t take me wrong… all of us will leave behind some type or form of legacy. It is inevitable. A generation or two will remember us… a few select individuals will be remembered longer.
All of you trekkers are also leaders in some fashion. And leadership and legacy have much in common. One commonality must surely be a shared influence which others receive from us. Candidly, we are all called to live out the “divine dance” with the Creator and Savior of the universe, Jesus Christ. But it doesn’t end there. God uses our dance to lead others too into the Divine Embrace. Simply put, we are given the opportunity and responsibility to lead others into a discovery of the objective, eternal Truth in and by which we live. But the influence and effect we have on others cannot be planned, programmed, or promised. And we know the words of Moses to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid because of them (enemies), for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
All this quite suddenly cascaded down upon me a few days ago. I must tell you the story for the Holy Spirit “blew me away” with His grace. But a bit of background… the most intense period of my life clearly was between my 38th and 46th birthdays, yes, a long time ago. I was stationed at the Pentagon for 7 ½ years straight, believe it or not. Long, but productive hours in my profession plus many hours of lay ministry leadership… you have the picture. I had little time to do much besides try to keep life priorities in line, love the Lord and my wife and our four young children and for sure, stay focused, keep on learning, and integrate the moments of life wholistically as best I could. It was in these years I learned the “rhythms of grace” and yet it was a constant battle with the “tyranny of the urgent.”
Nuff background… among the many young peers I met in those days (and some today are trekkers reading this), was one I will call Tommy. A West Point grad, highly competent, extremely self-confident, destined to wear stars in our profession! We had some close contact, but he was one of many and we had lost touch over the last thirty years.
Now the Holy Spirit enters, front and center. I am sitting in the choir of our base chapel two Sundays ago, and Tommy stands up, introduces himself and his wife. I was dumbfounded! At the “grin and grip” time, I walked out of the choir, put my hands on his shoulders and said, “Tom, I’m Jim Meredith. We know each other.” Tears welled up in the eyes of the 74 and 75 year old soldiers. He turned to his wife and said, “Darling, this is Jim Meredith, the guy I’ve told you about.”
Yes, we got caught up, as two buds would try to do after 30 years. I had challenged him 35 years ago to “love his wife”, (one of my favorite “pass alongs” in those days was a book with the message in the title, “Do Yourself a Favor and Love Your Wife.”) He gave then his heart and life to the Holy One of Israel, Jesus the Christ, and has never looked back. “Whatever are you now doing?” I asked. Then he said, “Why Jim, I’m doing the same thing you did with me… I’m encouraging men in their walk with Jesus.”
Was I humbled! A pure Holy Spirit orchestrated moment in life to encourage us both. No other explanation. Out of touch with each other, but in touch with the Master who decided to have some fun with us, for our benefit and His pleasure.
We remember significant people in our lives; we remember significant events and engagements; we never forget meaningful, uplifting, challenging conversations; we are moved to remember the impact others have made on our lives. So legacy simply happens, albeit usually, so serendipitously.
Since Truth is so much bigger than we are, and truths are there to be received not achieved, when we live them out, we give our life meaning. A life well-lived has immeasurable influence. Paul said it so well to the Corinthians, “follow me as I follow Christ.”
Another similarity between leadership and legacy is the subject of “transfer”, for lack of a better term. We don’t know when our leadership or legacy necessarily begins and ends. Only God molds leadership successes and establishes legacies. (I’m doing a lot of study now in the life of Moses in preparing for a lengthy speaking engagement in a few weeks. Get familiar with Moses and Joshua; you will marvel at the ebb and flow of leadership and legacy as you search through Exodus and Deuteronomy.)
Trekker, as we allow His presence to work in and control our lives, we will be a living presence and encouragement to others. Are we carrying around the glory of God as “Jesus with skin on”? Is that the mantle we place before people? Guys, I must confess, my desire is to be an encourager to you to be faithful, never give up, and keep focused on Jesus alone! I want to sing stanza after stanza of His song to all who will listen. Tom did, you have and are! Whatever God chooses to do with “my mite”, so be it. I will be out of here soon… long gone into eternity.
If we live changed lives, what a serendipitous legacy we may leave!
Your fellow trekker,
Jim Meredith