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I can tell you that when I’m faced with a circumstance that warrants a tough decision, I pray long and hard, I try to listen to what I feel God puts on my heart, I seek wise counsel, and I reflect on my most important priorities. And then I am forced to make a decision.
And sometimes in the absence of hearing answers from God, we do nothing. Certainly there is a time to wait on God, but rarely is there a time to do absolutely nothing. You know what happens when we do nothing? Nothing.
I’m just saying that if you are truly looking to make a difference, you have to start doing something that can make a difference. Don’t let life get in the way of choosing to impact others. There is always something to do. Pay attention. Look around. Listen. God just might be speaking.
God wants us to be a part of awesome things, but we have to say yes to doing something.
Don’t wait for something to happen or for someone to give you permission to do something right. Just do it. When’s the right time? For the most part, always.
One of my favorite sayings is “Oftentimes we don’t dream big enough and oftentimes we don’t start small enough.”
Society doesn’t get to define what’s important in my life. Although I may not get a pat on the back or an attaboy from others, I’d rather have my heavenly Father be proud of me.
Many people don’t even try to reach out and help others because they’re scared their efforts won’t matter or won’t make much of a difference. Have courage and at least try. Even if you fail, at least you will have planted a seed. You don’t know what God can do with one step forward, with a raised hand, with a heart that says yes, with five loaves and two fish, with a slingshot and a few stones. Don’t limit what He can do based on how you limit yourself. Be yourself, and let God be God. The little things we do each day add up to something greater, something we will ultimately leave behind. And
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WHAT MATTERS MOST
There is so much more to our existence than what we can see. What we do reverberates through the heavens and into eternity. —FRANCIS CHAN
That day is one of the most memorable moments in my life. And while I appreciate the record-breaking scene as a highlight in my career, I know records are made to be broken. There will always be someone else to clinch next year’s title, award, or trophy. These things don’t last. I want my life to speak louder than a world record. I don’t just want to leave a legacy on the field. I want to live off the field in a way that outlives me. I want my love for God and for others to shine greater than an incredible comeback moment, a heavy gold trophy, or a handful of favorable headlines.
I admire missionaries like Dad, Mom, Christy, and Joey, because they are intentionally investing in others in ways that will last for eternity. Now, we don’t have to become missionaries to do this, but we do need to be purposeful in how we live our lives.
When I was younger, I read a poem written by Linda Ellis called “The Dash.” She talks about the significance of the line separating the year of a person’s birth and the year of the person’s death. It’s a simple little dash. Nothing fancy. Nothing big. This tiny mark of punctuation represents what we stand for, what or whom we impact, and ultimately what legacy we leave behind.
Think about your life. What mark are you leaving behind? How do you want your life to matter? I love what the authors of A Leader’s Legacy wrote: “By asking ourselves how we want to be remembered, we plant the seeds for living our lives as if we matter.”1
Loved your children well?
We like to live like we’re invincible. But ignoring the reality that our days are numbered may leave the most important questions in life unconsidered and unanswered.
When we think about our dash, we can live with more passion. We can identify our priorities. We can be intentional in how we live. We can make a difference and do things that matter. We can make choices that might be hard but are definitely worth it. We can take a stand for something, knowing its impact can be far-reaching and can leave a mark beyond our lives.
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” I love these words. They’re powerful, provocative. Think about the echoes that sound in your life right now.
Trophies don’t last. Awards come and go. Impressive titles move from one person to the next. But how we live can make an eternal impact.
It’s easy to be kind to others when you’re feeling great, but it takes resilience to do it when you’re not feeling so hot.
Think about your dash. Are you living in a way that is centered on yourself? Or are you, like Ansley, leaving a legacy that is going to make a difference in the lives of others for generations to come?
what I really want to hear is my heavenly Father tell me, “I’m proud of you, son.” This is my contemporary translation of the Bible’s “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”3
The ultimate legacy we can leave is a life of faith, believing the gospel and living in a way that exemplifies Jesus.
When I think about leaving a legacy, I think about living in light of eternity. I think about basing my daily decisions on the future God has promised. I believe the greatest legacy we can leave is a life lived for Jesus. That starts with the most important decision you will ever make: the decision to trust Him. This is the best decision I ever made.
Know this: Your past doesn’t define you. Your circumstances don’t define you. From this day forward, let God define whose you are. You can be a child of God.
Roy Lessin said, “Just think, you’re here not by chance, but by God’s choosing. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else—you are one of a kind. You lack nothing that His grace can’t give you. He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose for this generation.”8
Acknowledgments
Notes
