Legacy?

When we read of the lives of the extraordinary, we often believe that somehow they knew that their lives would be legendary. We nurture the notion that these people had a sense of destiny. And because they were aware of their manifest destiny, they conducted themselves in a manner befitting a heroine or hero. They were intentional about doing great things and accomplishing great deeds. So, we believe that in order to live a life of consequence we must do likewise.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred by the Nazis on April 9, 1945. He had been an outspoken critic of Hitler’s Reich. Through long months of confinement in various prisons across Germany, Bonhoeffer did his best to live the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. Through ministry and concern for his fellow prisoners, Dietrich did what he could do given the time and place where he lived. When he died at the end of a hangman’s noose, Bonhoeffer could not have foreseen the import his life and writings would have on future generations. He did not know the depths to which his life would touch the hearts and minds of those followers of Christ who would follow after him. No, Dietrich Bonhoeffer could only live as he chose to live and be the person he was. In the midst of extraordinary circumstances he lived a life of simple faithfulness to his Father.

Our legacy is determined by others. All of this talk of “leaving a legacy” is self-important self-aggrandizement. It is those who follow after us who will determine where we failed and where we succeeded. The best that we can do is to live faithfully in the moment in which we find ourselves. We can do no more than our best.

More Than The Daily Grind

Among the plethora of activities I juggle, I serve as a life coach. One of the privileges I have is to help my client’s set and achieve goals in their lives. Often the temptation is to develop a “master plan” for life. By setting goals for relationships, education, career and interests, some believe that they can plan their entire lives. By getting the basics out of the way, a course is set for the rest of life. But things don’t always work out the way we plan. (Trust me on that one.) Relationships can transform, education can become outmoded, careers can change and interests grow. A master plan can easily become a list of items to complete. Once those things are finished, then we can slide through the rest of our lives. When this happens, we no longer live intentionally, but instead switch to autopilot.

Living each day as something special unto itself is a better way to live. By focusing on the things that are most important and seeing them as life principles – not goals – provides an overwhelmingly greater amount of joy and satisfaction in life. Instead of thinking in terms of our entire life, we are better served by thinking in terms of segments, eras or days. Not tomorrow – today! Viewing life in this way causes us to invest in our relationships now – not just to see them as a long term investment that can be forgotten and gone back to later. Living life daily gives us the incentive to see our education as something that continues long after college with each day filled with opportunities to discover new truths. Careers and other interests are no longer “jobs” or “hobbies; instead they are passions which we engage and nurture.

Life on autopilot is repetitive and numbing. Engaging each new day and intentionally living out our beliefs and passions is a much, much, much better way to live. Try this: write down the three most important things in your life. Each morning when you awake, ask yourself what you are going to do to enrich those interests. Think of your life as a garden and these three life priorities are most important plants. How are you going to nurture those plants? What will you do today to help them grow? What weeds need to be removed so they can thrive? It isn't yet time for harvest...there is much growing to do.

To What Do You Cling?

In the book The Great Crash 1929, John Kenneth Galbraith writes, “When people are least sure they are often the most dogmatic.” Faced with uncertainty – or even fear – people will hold even more rigidly to their beliefs. (This is, I believe, part of what President Obama had in mind with his “bitter clingers” comment.) When dealing with unknowns, it is natural to return to what is known.

One of the great theologians in history was Karl Barth. In the course of his life he wrote prolifically, including a several volume collection entitled Church Dogmatics. His thought and theology have shaped literally hundreds of thousands of lives. J.M. Boice records the following story about Karl Barth,

"Several years before his death the Swiss theologian Karl Barth came to the United States for a series of lectures. At one of these, after a very impressive lecture, a student asked a typically American question. He said, 'Dr. Barth, what is the greatest thought that has ever passed through your mind?' The aging professor paused for a long time as he obviously thought about his answer. Then he said with great simplicity: ‘Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so'"

What are the basic truths of your life? What are your foundational beliefs?

Post Christian United States

It is obvious that the Christian religion is on the decline in the United States. On April 4th of this year, Newsweek magazine published an article by Jon Meacham entitled “The End of Christian America.” President Obama visiting Turkey this week said "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation…." The influence of Evangelicals in politics is waning and church attendance continues to decline. We are on the verge of entering – if we have not already entered – a Post-Christian era in the United States. For many, this is more than a little depressing.

The teachings of Jesus were never meant to be the foundation for a religion. In fact, Jesus is one of the most antireligious voices in history. From the beginning, his words were meant to be lived, not simply studied and memorized. The “church” was intended to be a fellowship of strugglers whose intention was to walk as Jesus did – not a place for club members to gather weekly. Religion is humanity’s attempt to redeem itself. Jesus reveals a Heavenly Father who reaches to us.

The call of Jesus in 2009 is the same as it was when he proclaimed it. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Decline in a religion does not change our responsibility to our commitment.

Where Did You Learn to Love?

You cannot give what you do not have. You cannot love unconditionally unless you have been loved unconditionally. Being authentic in a relationship requires that you have experienced a faithful relationship. Genuine love is encountered and then shared. If true, this obviously begs the question, “If I want to love unconditionally – if I want to be true in a relationship – where do I go to get what I need to give?” Depending on your worldview and your beliefs, the answer to that question will either be an incredible release or a damning realization. Where did you learn to love?