If today was my last day, I would leave my most treasured possession with my loved ones staying behind with the instruction to care for it with the same diligence and love I had for it. I would instruct the beneficiaries of my inheritance to guard it with all that they have so that it remains in the family for example. There is something sobering about death in that it forces us to have a “reality check”. The psalmist welcomes the wisdom that comes from having that “reality check” in the Bible as he prays to God saying, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). We are creatures of pleasure who would rather gratify their desires (whether good or bad) than to think and gain wisdom for that would force us to go into an uncomfortable territory where it is not what we want that dictates what we do but simply wisdom and truth. Often times, the message that a person on a death bed gives to his loved ones is taken with utmost importance especially when the message aligns with the life of the one about to die or if they were loved and respected. Such a message can change the course of life of the receiver. In today’s post, I would like to think about leaving an important legacy that follows in the step of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
In our world, it is commonly accepted to live with secrets. It seems as though, only after people die, does the truth about them starts to come to the surface. Still for others, the truth about them goes with them into the grave. It is not as uncommon to have a funeral where there are surprises especially in big families or when the deceased is a person of influence. Obviously, these claims are not backed by anything except my observations, however, I have come to find that men enjoy living a double life but God who sees the heart can never be fooled (1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10). Fellow men can be fooled but not God. He knows it all, there is nothing new under the sun for Him and He exists before all things and lives outside of time. In all my observations, I have found Jesus to be the only man with influence who has lived openly, with no drama, no surprises to his death, nothing that was not said before and his departing words held weight because he did not say anything that he himself did not believe. Unlike us who would often say “Don’t do what I did” to the ones we are leaving behind, Jesus was able to say “do what I have always done” for Jesus only did what the Father does (John 5:19). That is why one of his departing words was to give The Great Commission to the disciples to go into all nations and baptize people into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to teach them to obey all that he has commanded them (Matthew 28:19-20). Leaders are often followed not because they are charismatic or are educated but because their actions match what they say. When you are a leader that does not believe in what you say, no one will believe you. That is why in our world, many are not able to lead because others can see right through their duplicity. A good leader stays true to his or her belief. Jesus did that perfectly. Today, many can attest to the veracity of his words and thereby his existence simply from following him and doing what he says to do and seeing the results for themselves. If you have never put Jesus to the test, I invite you to do that and see how he fares.
The other particularity of Jesus is that during his life on earth, he announced his future death, specifically how he would die, how long he would be dead for and what would happen after his death, that is his resurrection. This he did while still alive. He had foreknowledge that many of us do not have, knowledge that only God has. In the Bible, one of the characteristics that separates the One true God from other beings or idols that are elevated in His place is that He is the only God who can tell things before they happen (see Isaiah 44 among other passages). Just as He told about king Cyrus who would come to set His people free years before it happens (Isaiah 45). This tells me that Jesus was God as he was privy to information that only belongs to God just as he said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Unlike us who wait to the end of our rope to start telling our loved ones what is important, Jesus started telling everyone what was most important to them while he was alive. He told them that he came into the world so that they would have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10); he told them that he came to set the captives free, in fact he proclaimed that he was the fulfilment of the prophecy from the book of Isaiah (Luke 4:17-19). As he made these claims, he ensured his life followed suit. Indeed, to make such bold claims, one had to be a lunatic or the real deal. But as the Bible tells us, Jesus’s life was filled with miracles, signs and wonders in addition to teachings from above.
What this tells me about our fleeting life on earth is that we have to be imitators of Jesus. He lived his life on earth with transparency. There was no lie found in him. He believed all that he taught and did not wait to be on his death bed to live his descendants and loved ones with the most important message. We do not have to be on our death bed to tell the love of Jesus to our neighbour or friend, nor do we have to be in our death bed to receive Jesus or be more amenable to the idea of Jesus because we want to escape hell. If we are in Christ, our very lives should show that we follow the Christ. People should not wait until our death to hear that we loved Jesus. I pray that just like Jesus, we who have put our faith and trust in him become people whose lives match their beliefs and whose words align with their allegiance to their LORD and saviour. Father, please help us set our priorities aright. Amen.
A Word Aptly Spoken 