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The following
article is reprinted from Life@Work
TOOLS
FOR LEGACY
Each of us
will leave some legacy, but what kind of legacy will we leave? When we
are gone, what will our employees remember about us? What will our families
say about us? How will our communities describe us?
We each have
something of value to pass on to someone of value. We have been given
something of value by God to give to someone He values. When we meet the
Lord face to face, will He honor us for wisely investing our talents in
the lives of others, or will He chastise us as He did the servant who
buried his talent in the ground? (Matthew 25:14-30)
A GODLY
LEGACY
At the end
of the day-or, more appropriately, at the end of a life-there are four
possible legacies we can leave.
No legacy
whatever.
A bad
legacy.
A perishable
legacy.
A lasting
godly legacy in the lives of others.
The objective,
obviously, is to achieve the fourth one-we should live in such a way as
to leave a lasting godly legacy in the lives of others. But the tyranny
of the urgent, the rapid pace of progress and the expanding obligations
and commitments that result make increasing demands on our time. The road
to living and leaving a godly legacy is not found merely by eliminating
conflicting priorities or simplyfying our lives. These paths may be desirable
but are not always practical or realistic. The road to living and a godly
legacy is found through the disciplines of a godly life. With that in
mind, here are four practical solutions to living and leaving a godly
legacy:
1. Live
by the compass, not the clock Steven Covey, in First Things First
(Simon & Schuster, 1994), introduces two options-living by the clock
or by a compass. The clock represents our commitments, appointments, schedules,
goals and activities-things that drive our behavior and condition our
responses. The compass, on the other hand, represents our vision, values,
principles, mission, direction and destiny-what we feel is important,
and what we believe should lead our lives.
Perhaps we
are living our lives by the compass but our bearings are off. We are arriving
at destinations we didn't expect or desire. Our compass needs calibrations.
Over time, the hull of a ship builds up magnetism that interferes with
the ship's compass. True north is not really true north. To remove this
interference, a ship passes over special coils on the ocean floor. Similarily,
our internal compass, in the form of our central beliefs, core values,
worldview and motives, must be periodically demagnetized if we are to
continue our journey along accurate bearings. The coils, in this analogy,
are the Bible, God's Word to us.
We must be
constantly mindful of the influences on the direction of our lives. Are
we off course or on course? Are we able to find our way in the midst of
the storms of life? What guides our decisions? What influences our strategic
plans? What principles condition our interactions with others?
2. Live
a balanced life Here are four keys to bringing balance to a busy life:
Calibrate
your internal compass (beliefs, values, worldview and motives) to Biblical
standards.
Find out
how God was wired you in terms of gifting, passion, temperment and aptitude.
Tailor
your life and work to ensure that 80 percent of who you are overlaps 80
percent of what you do.
Attend
primarily to the relationships over tasks within your sphere of influence.
3. Live
a focused life.
Here
are five steps for maintaining a focused life:
Allow
the Bible to chisel you into Christ's image. (Hebrews 4:12; II Timothy
3:16-17) The Word of God is an accurate judge of our heart.Transformational
change is cyclical beginning with teaching, reproff, correction and training.
Live a
value-centered life. (I Timothy 4:7-8; Psalm 15:1-5) Godliness is a virtue
to be cultivated. Integrity means that we live our lives in accordance
with our values.
Guard
your heart. (Proverbs 4:23; Phillipians 4:8) Our behavior reflects what
is stored in our hearts. Our hearts need guarding because the enemy looks
for weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Discipline
your life. (I Corinthians 9:24-27; II Timoty 4:7-8) A life that brings
glory to God and blesses those within our sphere of influence takes discipline.
A crown of righteousness awaits a man or woman of discipline.
Submit
to being held accountable. (Ecclesiastics 4:9-10, 12; Colossians 3:16)
Mentors will hold us accountable if we let them. Our journey from success
to significance must include others who will help us.
4. Finish
Strong Dr. J. Robert Clinto, professor of leadership at Fuller Theological
Seminary, has studied carefully the lives of more than 900 Biblical, historical
and contemporary Christian leaders. His research, which is presented in
Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life
(NavPress, 1992, with Paul D. Stanley), indicates that those who finish
well have the following common characteristics:
Perspective
that enabled them to focus.
Intimacy
with Christ and repeated experiences of inner renewal.
Discipline
in important areas of life.
a positive
learning attitude in their lives.
A network
of meaningful relationships including several important mentors.
Maybe it's
time to get to know those who work for us. Maybe it's time to get rid
of activities that have no lasting impact. Maybe it's time to live the
values we believe in. Maybe it's time to merge our faith world with our
business world, removing the dualism of our existence. Maybe it's time
for to focus more on our relationships in the workplace, in our communities
and in our homes. These are the types of legacies that endure for generations
and generations.
There
are many examples of legacies we might live and leave. These options can
be exercised in your chosen profession, church, community and family to
help ensure a godly legacy:
Keep
a journal to pass on to your loved ones.
Mentor
someone in spiritual, professional or personal matters.
Invest
intentional time in the lives of your family members.
Establish
a life plan that will manage your life in accordance with Biblical beliefs,
values, worldview and motives.
Live
out your faith by winning, enfolding, equipping or deploying faithful
followers of Christ.
Invest
in others by becoming actively involved in a ministry area.
Serve
as a stimulus for change that betters the world.
Build
an organization or movement that can serve as a channel through which
God can work.
Use
your profession as a vehicle to improve the lives of employees.
Contribute
financial resources to further God's kingdom on earth.
Be
a loving, godly husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter, sister
or brother, grandfather or grandmother to those who should mean the most
to you.
Live
your life for an audience of One!
Dr. Greg
Bourgond is dean of academic affairs and instructional technology
at Bethel Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN. He and Jim Sheard are
coauthoring a book on legacy. Bourgond also serves as a consultant and
teacher in the areas of leadership development, organizational systems
and small groups. His previous professional experience includes 10 years
in the defense and commercail business and more than 14 years in various
ministry positions.
2000
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