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Your Legacy: Designing a Life That Honors God, Blesses Others, and Brings Joy to Your Own Soul
168Overview
David Hodge is founder and president of Anchor Leadership and has spent decades equipping thousands of leaders at organizations across the United States, including Chick-fil-A, the U.S. Air Force, and the Salvation Army.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781627079532 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Our Daily Bread Publishing |
| Publication date: | 08/07/2019 |
| Pages: | 168 |
| Sales rank: | 829,807 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.00(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.56(d) |
| Age Range: | 3 Months to 18 Years |
About the Author
David Hodge is founder and president of Anchor Leadership. His singular passion in life is encouraging others. He has decades of experience in ministry leadership that he now shares as a consultant, coach, and mentor, and he leads dozens of seminars every year. David lives in a small town just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Pam, their sons, and a sassy wire-haired fox terrier.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
ONE DAY IN COOPERSTOWN
Your story is the greatest legacy that you will leave to your friends. It's the longest-lasting legacy you will leave to your heirs.
Steve Saint
We hear the word legacy all the time. A simple Google search of the word finds over a billion results in less than a second. If you browse long enough, you'll find titles like:
Mom Leaves Legacy of Love School's Legacy Resonates a Century Later Foul Legacy: The Children of Terrorism Fallen Officer's Legacy Remembered a Year After His Death The Legacy of China's One-Child Policy
But what exactly is a legacy? Legacy is generally defined as something that is passed along from an ancestor or predecessor or as a carryover from the past. Often, this is simply a passive process, the natural result of time.
For our purposes, we're going to define it this way:
A legacy is what you leave behind for others.
For most of my life I used this word mindlessly. I failed to appreciate it fully. I didn't grasp the importance of a good legacy. It took a once-in-a-lifetime trip with my brother to open my eyes.
Growing up, Kevin and I alternated between close friends and worst enemies — best explained by the fact we were only 18 months apart in age. Like most siblings, we clashed often, usually over trivial things. However, we had this in common: we were huge baseball fans. More specifically, we shared a passion for the Cincinnati Reds during the glorious "Big Red Machine" days of the 1970s. Cheering together for legendary players like Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, and Joe Morgan was one of the highlights of our childhood.
Kevin and I never imagined that we would one day visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. But as adults, we made the pilgrimage together. We spent a long weekend there, and it was everything we dreamed of and more. Each day for three wonderful days we roamed those storied halls. Each evening we came back to the "Big Red Machine" exhibit and recalled magical moments from our childhood. And then it was time to go.
Just before we were due to head back to the airport, Kevin decided to pick up some last-minute souvenirs for his children. While he shopped, I sat on a bench agonizing. A store called National Pastime was selling an autographed photo of Johnny Bench. The Reds' perennial all-star catcher was my hero growing up. But this particular piece of memorabilia was expensive! Should I spend so much money? (More importantly, could I buy it without my wife, Pam, finding out?)
As I went back and forth in my mind, I was struck — out of left field, no doubt — by a profound thought. The people who had impacted me most in life weren't baseball players. The great Johnny Bench was certainly fun to watch. I was privileged to see him do amazing things with a bat, ball, and glove. But though he gave me some great sports moments, he never did anything for me personally. Sitting there I realized that the most significant people in my life were (and are) the ones who have cared for me, loved me, accepted me, and been patient with me.
My mind was made up. I walked into a store called the Cooperstown Bat Company, and I had them engrave a custom baseball bat with my name and, under that, the simple phrase, "An Influenced Life."
Eagerly, I returned home, called my mom and dad, who lived just a few miles away, and invited them to join Pam and me for breakfast the following Saturday. When the day came, I shared with them my souvenir story and my Cooperstown epiphany. I got to tell them they were the three people who had had the biggest impact in my life and that I couldn't imagine where I might be without them.
I shared first with my dad all he has meant to me. I did the same with my mother and finally with Pam. Then, taking out my customized bat, I asked them to autograph it.
Since that time, I have added a number of other signatures to my bat. Whenever God reminds me of a significant person from my past or brings someone new into my life who has a life-changing impact on me, I schedule a meeting with that person. I tell them simply, "This is what you mean to me ..." When I'm finished, I say, "I would be honored if you would autograph my bat."
Each time I do this, and every time I look at my bat, I am reminded that what I am today is because of the people who have come alongside me and invested their lives in me. (I especially love my mother's autograph. In parentheses, she added "Mom" — as if I might forget who she is!)
It took a trip to Cooperstown and an afternoon of souvenir shopping to remind me in a powerful way that a legacy is simply what we leave behind for others.
Looking back on those moments on the bench in upstate New York, I now realize it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit that changed my focus. It was a clear conviction to make a difference in the lives of others. The truth is, God has put a host of people in my life who have blessed me, encouraged me, and mentored me. Each has made my life better by pointing to a more excellent way. That day, the question came upon me: Am I that person to others?
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. Oftentimes we don't think much about someone's legacy until after his or her death. Or we don't think about our own legacy until late in life. Why is this? Why is this a mistake?
2. What's the most precious material possession an ancestor ever handed down to you?
3. What's the best example someone ever left behind for you?
4. What's the best lesson a predecessor ever passed on to you?
5. Who has had a major impact on your life? Write down the first three people who come to mind.
6. If a legacy is simply what you leave behind for others, what are some of the things you'd be leaving behind if the Lord called you home today?
7. Before we proceed, here's the biggest question of all: Are you leaving behind what you want to leave behind?
CHAPTER 2EVERYONE LEAVES A LEGACY
All happenings great and small are parables whereby God speaks; the art of life is to get the message.
Malcolm Muggeridge
One morning in 1888, Alfred Nobel was eating breakfast and reading the newspaper. Imagine his shock when he began to read his own obituary! Imagine his horror when his premature death notice appeared under the grim headline, "The Merchant of Death Is Dead"!
The unflattering title, "Merchant of Death," was due to the fact that Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite. He intended for his "TNT" to be used in the construction of roads and railways; however, when military planners realized its explosive power, it was promptly weaponized. Consequently, Nobel's noble invention was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers on the battlefields of Europe.
The record was eventually set straight — it was actually Alfred's brother Ludwig who had died — but the misprint had far-reaching effects. Historians believe Alfred was so badly shaken by this obituary that he modified his will, earmarking the bulk of his vast estate for the funding of annual awards for noteworthy academic, cultural, and scientific achievements. Upon his death in 1896, Nobel's wishes began to be carried out — the most prestigious honor being the famous Nobel Peace Prize.
This is how Alfred Nobel is remembered today — not as "the Merchant of Death" but as a great proponent of international peace and progress. All because Nobel, upon reading his own obituary eight years prior to his passing, decided he wanted to leave a different and better legacy.
Paul J. Meyer, a pioneer in motivational leadership, once said, "Everything you are and possess today, whether good or bad, will pass down to those who come after you."
It's a powerful thought, isn't it? Not just the things you have, but everything you are will eventually be passed down to those who come after you. You will leave behind a legacy. The question is, What will your legacy be?
Again, let's be clear. It's not a question of if you are going to leave something behind. You will. We all do. The question is, Are you going to leave behind what you really want to leave behind?
Maybe, like Alfred Nobel, you've had a moment in your life when God shook you up and got your attention. This happened for me several years ago. Thank heaven for such wake-up calls!
I returned home from Portland, Oregon, late on a Friday when everyone else was already asleep. I woke up first thing Saturday morning because I was leaving again Sunday for another speaking engagement, and I had much to do. (I still travel a good bit in my work; in those years I was traveling far too much.)
My daughter, Elizabeth, was the first one down for breakfast. I'll never forget what happened in those next few moments.
Let me paint the scene: Elizabeth sits at the table, eating her Lucky Charms. As she eats, I'm telling her everything I want her to accomplish that day — all the things she neglected to do while I was gone plus the other things she needs to do over the weekend.
She doesn't speak, which is unusual for her, because she likes to talk — just like her dad. She doesn't make a peep until she finally lifts her head and says innocently, "Hey, Dad, why are you always so grumpy when you come back from a long trip?"
I immediately got defensive. "I'm not grumpy!" I protested grumpily. (Though inwardly I wasn't so sure.)
Later I asked my wife, Pam, "Honey, I'm not grumpy when I get back from trips, am I?" There was a long pause, before she said diplomatically, "Well, not always."
Malcolm Muggeridge, the legendary British journalist, once observed, "All happenings great and small are parables whereby God speaks; the art of life is to get the message."
That day I got the message. That small happening, that simple exchange with my daughter, changed my life in significant ways.
As I reflected on what God was saying to me through "The Parable of the Lucky Charms Breakfast," I realized I was giving the best of me to strangers and holding back the worst part of me for the people I treasure most in life.
At the time I was working with a ministry called Winning with Encouragement. And truly, the encouragement for which I most want to be remembered is encouraging my family.
I realized that Saturday I'd never accomplish my goal if I kept going down the path I was going. I would have to become much more intentional.
It occurred to me that whenever I go somewhere and speak, I work hard preparing for that time, because I want very much to connect with groups and see hearts changed. I want to bless the audiences I am privileged to stand in front of, so I pray, study, brainstorm, think creatively, and review and rework my messages. All this effort and intentionality for "strangers." My conscience pricked: Shouldn't I do at least that much in my role as a husband and father? I made a vow that day to do everything in my power for the rest of my days to encourage my family.
Sometimes we give our best to others and save the worst for the nearest and dearest people in our lives. What a sad and forgettable way to live! Those aren't the memories you want to pass on to your loved ones. Certainly, I don't want that for my family.
We all need hope that it is possible to reverse the course of our negative impact. During this period, I was reminded of the Old Testament story of Jacob. Jacob lived his early years as a selfish and greedy individual — especially toward his family. But in Genesis 28, we see a complete change in Jacob's attitude toward God and those closest to him. And because of that encounter with God, he began a course of action that positively impacted generations to come. Jacob's life ended with God identifying himself with this once self-centered man: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6).
The sobering thought is that we only have one life to make a difference. Speaker and author Beth Moore profoundly captured the urgency: "This is our time on the history line of God. This is it. What will we do with the one deep exhale of God on this earth? For we are but a vapor and we have to make it count."
We want to leave a good legacy. And we want to leave a lasting one.
Dr. James Dobson, the popular parenting expert, author, and founder of Focus on the Family, tells a story: When he was at Pasadena College (now Point Loma Nazarene University), his number one goal was to have his name on a tennis trophy. Long story short, his goal eventually became a dream come true.
Years after he graduated, Dr. Dobson received a phone call from a friend and former classmate. The message? His trophy was found in a dumpster behind one of the administrative buildings. His friend refurbished the trophy and sent it to him.
Dr. Dobson's takeaway from that experience? "If you live long enough, life will trash your trophies."
It's interesting, isn't it? The things we sometimes think are so crucial are ultimately not that important. And oftentimes the things we don't give much attention to are the very things that are going to last into eternity. It's those eternal things we want to focus on in this book.
Carl C. Wood said, "If we work our fingers to the bone, pinch and save every penny for a rainy day, who knows, before no time at all we may be the richest person in the cemetery." This happens so often in our society — people giving themselves to things that will not last.
We're after something very different. John C. Maxwell summarizes a wiser perspective: "When you're 80 years old, looking back over your life while rocking on your front porch, personal satisfaction and career goals may not seem quite as significant as they once did. What will likely be much more important is what you did with your life that was of lasting value." We're asking that question: What does it take to leave a good legacy that truly lasts? In the next chapter, using Jesus as our model, we'll look at three things He did to leave a good and lasting legacy. Are you ready to step up to the starting line?
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. Alfred Nobel got to read his obituary eight years early — giving him the opportunity to change his legacy. How might your obituary read today if a reporter wrongly assumed you'd died yesterday?
2. What do you think of the famous statement, "Nobody on his deathbed ever said 'I wish I had spent more time on my business'"?
3. What are the things for which you'd most like to be remembered?
CHAPTER 3AT THE STARTING LINE
When people are serving, life is no longer meaningless.
John W. Gardner
I ran track when I was in high school. I was a sprinter and a member of our 440-relay team. (That tells you how old I am — this was back in the day when races were still measured in yards.)
If you've never had the experience of running track, you may not realize the precision, strategy, and hard work that goes into the sprint relays. Staying in your lane, not dropping the baton — all of that is harder than most people think. When everything goes right, the relay is beautiful to behold. But when something goes wrong — as it did for both the American men's and women's teams in the 2008 Summer Olympics — it's neither fun to participate in nor pleasant to watch.
I mention my track career because I'm pretty sure I could have been an Olympic sprinter. Only one small thing kept me from gold medal glory: my lack of world-class speed. No, seriously, I bring up my track experience because leaving a legacy is a lot like a relay race. We receive, in a sense, a baton from the previous generation. We run the race of life. Then we pass the baton to the next generation.
As a former track guy, I can tell you that much of a team's success depends on what happens before the race — all that planning at the starting line.
As we begin this process of trying to leave a lasting legacy, what do we need to know? What practical things do we need to keep in mind? I'm convinced all great legacies begin at the starting line with three habits.
1. All great legacy builders start with a plan.
J. Otis Ledbetter writes in his book Your Heritage, "The chief reason many of us fail to give a solid heritage is not lack of desire, incompetence, or even baggage from the past. The number one reason we fail to give a solid heritage is negligence — we neglect to create a plan for doing so."
It's so obvious, so simple, so sobering, isn't it? Every successful venture requires planning. How much more so the eternally significant venture of leaving a legacy.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Your Legacy"
by .
Copyright © 2019 David Hodge.
Excerpted by permission of Discovery House.
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