Happy Thursday!

A few weeks ago, I invited our drummer to preach his first sermon at DFC on a Wednesday night. Well, last night was the magic moment… and Greg Baker led his MOM and his COUSIN to the Lord at the end of his message. He taught about having the courage to STEP UP and STAND OUT… and about demonstrating boldness to endure all the persecution that comes with living for Christ. Great first message for Greg Baker!

Recently, I’ve been doing so much thinking about the word LEGACY. Here’s a clip from page 2 of chapter 3 of my book, Make me a Legend! Some of this material was just written this morning… and it’s unproofed. So be kind… and ENJOY!

redefining purpose: destiny verses legacy
Since I’m on the subject of destiny vs. legacy, let me describe the contrast I see between the two. Ever since I can remember people have told me, “One of these days son, you’re gonna change the world!” I’ve been commended over and over for my “winning personality” and all my God given talent. Nearly every person I’ve ever had a long conversation with has made a prediction about my influential future.

Believe me; it’s electrifying to hear these kinds of things predicted about my life. For me, and for so many others, fulfilling this kind of destiny starts out with the illusion of becoming some kind of celebrated person. Yeah, we do want to make a difference, but we really like what DESTINY means for us way more than we’re willing to admit. At first this is an energizing ambition, but over time it loses its luster. For me, even though I had a very big destiny to carry out, something vital was missing. That’s when I stumbled upon the bigger meaning of life… LEGACY!

Please don’t get me wrong here. I do believe very strongly that every human has a beautiful destiny. I’m not suggesting that legacy is a replacement term for destiny. What I am suggesting is that legacy is a far more encompassing gauge of purpose.

Destiny says, “I am created to do something great, so I need to discover whatever this is… so I can zoom around the world, do a bunch of extraordinary things, and kick it all the way across my finish line at death to receive the trophy of a civilization.”

Legacy begins the same way and then adds, “The greatness of my destiny is measured by what I pass on to the coming generations. I fulfill my purpose in life by honoring those who have gone before me, serving those who are with me today, and blessing those who will follow in my steps.”

When talking about destiny, most people seem to focus on the “me” factor. We ask questions like, what am “I” called to do with “my” life? Legacy demands a shift of focus. Legacy asks questions like, what are “they” called to do with “their” precious lives? Destiny is about me, legacy is about them. Legacy opens you and I up to the much bigger picture of them! It makes us feel more responsible for their future than our own.

To illustrate this point, let me tell you about my friend Jimmy Floyd. A few years back, he was the most passionate softball players I had ever met! Still today, his enthusiasm for sports is unprecedented. One of my favorite things to do in life is to bring up sports to Jimmy Floyd… and watch him go! Last year, I asked Jimmy if he was getting excited for the coming softball season. Jimmy’s response taught me so much about legacy!

Once Jimmy’s two babies had progressed into toddlerhood… and once Jimmy’s kids were able to play catch with daddy, Jimmy Floyd lost his passion for winning home run competitions and being the star player of our league. Jimmy Floyd became enlivened with a far more encompassing gauge of purpose… the LEGACY of his children and all children! Was Jimmy excited about the coming softball season? His response: “I don’t know if I’m gonna play as much this year. I’m more excited about seeing all these teenagers step up… and I’m really starting to get cranked up about living through my kids!”

This is what legacy is all about. Loving someone else’s home-run MORE than our own. Shedding tears of joy when an apprentice knocks one out of the park…

Please chat about this section of my book… leave your comments and have a super Thursday everyone!