A Life Defined by Christ

Transcription

1 40 Leaving a Legacy David Wheeler A Life Defined by Christ My dad was a master at building an outreach legacy for future generations. I will never forget the lesson he taught me at Christmas I was only seven years old. Mom was ill with a near-fatal kidney disease. Dad was working an extra job at Western Auto to try to pay off nearly $30,000 of her medical debts. It was Christmas Eve, and I was at the store where Dad was working when I was called to the back room. He instructed me to load up our car with a large stack of toys he had received permission to take from the showroom. A short time later I rode with Dad back home still wondering about the toys. As we arrived in our subdivision, he bypassed our road and ended up at a house on the street behind ours. I will never forget the look on our neighbor s face when Dad went to the door and informed this young mother who had recently been abused and deserted by her husband that God still cared for her family. The look on her face was priceless. Between the tears and the chorus of How did you know that I could not afford toys? the young mother realized that she was not abandoned by God. The truth is, I had more fun unloading those toys than I did opening mine the next morning. I cannot remember what I received that Christmas, but I will never forget what we gave! It was much more than a carload of toys. 324

2 Leaving a Legacy 325 Through the act of compassion, we became messengers of hope. Now that is a legacy! A Love Defined by Ministry I often thought my dad was old-fashioned and disconnected from the real world. I have come to realize that he did not care about being in step with the times; he cared about people! He and God seemed to have an agreement. My father would sacrificially love and serve people s needs; then eventually God would change their hearts and draw them to Himself. He viewed life differently from most people. Who else would grow 600 tomato plants? That sounds crazy to everyone but a tomato farmer! That is, until you experienced the magic of his approach to ministry. Once the tomatoes ripened, Dad spent days visiting local ballparks and public arenas inviting people over to see his garden. In the end he was using his passion for gardening to create opportunities for ministry. He walked miles through his garden helping others pick tomatoes and okra for free, all the while sharing about more important issues related to faith, integrity, love, and life. He even delivered boxes of tomatoes to local vegetable stands for no charge, knowing they would sell his bounty for a profit, just to share a brief word of encouragement and exemplify Christ s love in practical ways. A Legacy Defined by Compassion When my dad, John Wheeler, went to be with Christ in 2002, I was deeply touched by the response of the local community. Hundreds of mourners lined up for over nine hours telling outrageous stories about how he impacted their lives through living out an authentic faith. None of us ever knew that he regularly paid electric bills, purchased medical supplies, provided glasses and clothing, supplied rent, and provided groceries for hurting families. My dad wasn t flashy, just faithful. To him God was never a celestial Santa Claus commissioned to provide his every want. On the contrary, like Christ he loved God s most precious creation people. He once told me that if I made a new friend every week, when I died, I would be the wealthiest man in the world! Even his passing became an answer to prayer. For over 10 years we had been praying for two specific family members to come to Christ. We had

3 326 attempted every evangelistic approach. During his last 18 months Dad shared breakfast with this couple almost every morning. As always, he actively loved them by demonstrating a risen Christ through a smile, laughter, a timely word of encouragement, prayer, and genuine compassion. In the end the exclamation point of Dad s legacy came two days after his funeral when we had the privilege of seeing this 70-year-old couple receive Christ! I remember hearing them say at the time, There was something different about your dad. Indeed there was! With a father like mine, it is no wonder I am an evangelism professor! Evangelism is the legacy passed on to me by my father. The Biblical Principle Deuteronomy 34:7 says about Moses that when he died his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated (NASB). While he was never able to enter the promised land, he knew he was preparing Joshua and others who would advance God s work as representatives for righteousness. They would eventually inherit the land. Like my dad s investment in me and in others, Moses did the same for Joshua. A few verses later Scripture tells that Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses (v. 9 NASB). Moses understood his calling as more than building his earthly reputation. He realized that his blessing of Joshua and investment into his life and ministry would survive as a legacy way beyond his earthly existence. This is evident when Moses passed the baton of leadership to Joshua. In doing so, God repeatedly mentioned the influence of Moses even though he had already passed on. Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.... No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. (Josh 1:2 3, 5 NASB) This promise is fulfilled in Joshua 6 when Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land by taking the mighty fortress of Jericho. None of this could have happened without the years of mentoring by Moses. By walking with Moses through the treacherous times in the wilderness, Joshua learned that God would

4 Leaving a Legacy 327 always provide for His people. Just as Joshua was guided by Moses to value God s call and to trust His ways, my Father taught me. The result of Moses leadership was Joshua s humility, faith, obedience, and deep love for others. The legacy of a man s life has nothing to do with his possessions. Rather it is the God-given passion and influence he spreads to those under his care. It is more than being a mere example. It is living out a life that is multiplied through the attitudes and actions of generations to come! The legacy is an obsessive desire to impact the world for God! Jesus also lived to leave a legacy. He multiplied His life in men who eventually carried His message across the world. He instructed the disciples in Matt 4:19, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. Even after His death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven, His investment in the disciples became the evangelistic capstone of His legacy to future generations. How to Pass on an Evangelism Legacy 1. Always Realize That Others Are Watching It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and only 10 seconds to tear it down! Evangelistic legacies are born out of consistency and compassion for the unsaved. You must never allow ungodly responses and behaviors to destroy your influence with friends or family. Someone has noted, Integrity is who we are when the lights are off and we think we are alone. 2. Legacies Are Built out of Intentionality My dad had a keen sense of his calling as a Christian and sought to use teachable moments. As a result he modeled the kind of person he desired for me and others to be. The way he treated construction workers, waiters, coworkers, neighbors, family, and friends was amazing. He was the same with politicians and lawyers as he was with alcoholics at the rescue mission or convicts at the prison. A person s social status never dictated his mood or abated his desire to meet needs and impact lives for Christ. His greatest desire was to make a difference in his sphere of influence. That never happens by accident! 3. Do Not Just Speak the Word; Be the Word! This goes back to being a consistent Christian influence on the people God brings into your life. People will generally not believe the truth from us until we consistently live out that truth. Assuming this is correct logic, does this not

5 328 scream for us as Christians to model the life and teachings of Christ? It is one thing to speak about God s love from a biblical, informational perspective; it is even more powerful to demonstrate this love by first caring and then sharing. 4. Everyone Will Eventually Have an Eternal Legacy Will the legacy you leave behind be positive or negative? Will your legacy be transformational to future generations, or will it be quickly forgotten? Everyday, common people can make an eternal difference by simply modeling the life of Christ to others in their sphere of influence. The question is not what people will say about you after you are gone; that is often driven by momentary grief and temporal emotions. The real issue is whether your evangelistic passion and compassion for the unsaved will be lived out by those individuals you influence with your life. 5. Your Legacy Begins Today Moses began mentoring Joshua early in the sojourn from Egypt to the promised land. At that time it was not evident that Joshua would be the one chosen to complete the journey after Moses death. Still Moses was faithful to give himself away. Our legacies are born from the daily influence we exert over the people God brings into our lives. We may never comprehend the full extent of our impact. The call is to invest ourselves selflessly into the process of multiplying disciples, and this begins within our current spheres of influence with a classmate, a student, or a friend. When you come in contact with others, your response will determine your legacy. Do they sense a passionate follower of Christ? Are you committed to live out your faith in a way that impacts the kingdom through reaching the unsaved? Will you make a difference? 6. Your Legacy Is More Caught Than Taught My dad was a man of few words, but people wanted to be around him in order to catch his passion. He knew the gospel. More importantly, he lived the gospel. Moses represented the same for Joshua. He never lost sight of the goal (the promised land). Moses obedience in preparing Joshua set the stage for future ministry just as my dad s investment prepared me and others for ministry. 7. Your Legacy Is Part of Everything You Do Evangelism always thrives in the right atmosphere. The usual ingredients are compassion, love, intentionality, obedience, and the understanding that the call

6 Leaving a Legacy 329 to evangelize is never limited by time or space. It can and will happen everywhere if you are open to divine appointments. How about tomato stands, convenience stores, ballparks, restaurants, or funeral homes? Dad was successful because he saw opportunities everywhere he went. Christians are never off duty! 8. Your Legacy Is Worth the Investment of Time and Energy Multiplication of leaders is worth the investment. If Moses had ignored the opportunity to mentor Joshua, who would have led the Israelites into the promised land? God s work is always worth the investment of time and energy. This is especially true when it comes to the work of evangelism. Do you recall the 70-year-old couple who came to Christ days after my dad s funeral? Even though he was not present, Dad s life continued to shine. Through drawing on Dad s mentorship and ministry over the years, we merely harvested the intentional seeds of love he had planted. Evangelism, a Lasting Legacy My dad has been dead since 2002, yet his children, as well as many others, are carrying on his passion for ministry. In God s economy of investing into souls, I believe that every person I influence for Christ is a reflection of my dad s legacy as a mentor. Just as Joshua was the recipient of an eternal legacy that he carried in his heart every time he made a decision, the same is true for me or others who were influenced by my dad. Our passion is not our own. It is borrowed from God but manifests itself through willing hearts of obedient servants. We stand on the shoulders of every person who has invested in our lives. Application 1. Record five to 10 names of people God has placed in your life in whom you can begin to build your eternal legacy by investing your time and energy. Pray for the names every day. Follow up by creating outreach opportunities in your community in which you can include each of the people on the list. Teach them to serve, and challenge them to begin building their legacy by investing in others. 2. Go out of your way to recognize the people who invested in your life. Affirm their legacy by citing specific times in which you were blessed. Write a note, call, or make a personal visit.

7 330 Key Verse The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Tim 2:2 NASB) Quote My dad once told me that if I made a new friend every week, when I died, I would be the wealthiest man in the world! David Wheeler