Description
Well our journey together in our series is nearly at an end. In this last episode we will focus on what it means to leave a legacy. What would we need to invest our lives in so that when we are gone we leave something of significance behind? Another way of saying that is, How would you like to be remembered? We’ll see one of the key ways of doing this paying attention to the next generation. As long as we are still breathing, we have the opportunity to influence what we will be remembered for once we are gone.
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Video Script
Episode 17 Intro: Living for Others
Well our journey together in our series is nearly at an end. In this last episode we will focus on what it means to leave a legacy. What would we need to invest our lives in so that when we are gone we leave something of significance behind? Another way of saying that is, How would you like to be remembered? We’ll see one of the key ways of doing this paying attention to the next generation. As long as we are still breathing, we have the opportunity to influence what we will be remembered for once we are gone.
Vision and Hope
Bobby Clinton was a professor of leadership at Fuller Seminary and in one of his studies he noted that of the 1000 leaders of every type that are listed in the Bible there are only about 50 prominent leaders — those who we know how they started, how they lived and how they finished their race. Of these nearly 50 leaders, only 30 kept the faith and finished their race well. This includes men like Joshua, David, Peter and Paul. Others like Samson and Eli stumbled in mid life, but returned to their faith, while others like Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah had a more complicated story. The biblical record seems to indicate that finishing well is possible, but is not guaranteed.
I would like to spend a few moments of our time looking a little closer at one of these biblical characters. We are introduced to him as one of the spies who first went into the promised land of Canaan. At the time he was in his forties and, as we know, only he and Joshua were ready to take the land, but unfortunately they were outnumbered by ten others who gave in to fear and doubt. Of course, this is none other than Caleb. It must have been quite a letdown for him after seeing the promised land up close and tasting those grapes, to then spent the next forty years wandering in the sands of the desert. This is why I think Caleb is the classic example of how to finish well in spite of the disappointments of life.
During those forty years in the desert he had a close up view of Joshua’s rise to power and influence. I am sure he could have wondered, Why was Joshua chosen and not me? And he could have become frustrated that he could not enter the promised land, due to the choices of others. To add insult to injury, over the next forty years he buried each one of his generation until only he and Joshua were left. That he did not give in to these emotions is what makes him so impressive. The danger we have in reading biblical accounts is that it is easy to assume that the characters were so holy that they did not go through the same emotions we do. But as in our own lives, they didn’t know the end of the story and how it was all going to work out. It’s easy for us to read it knowing it all turns out in the end, but with our lives it is not so easy. Like us, Caleb had ample opportunity to become bitter through all the twists and turns in his life.
When we meet him again he is now over 80 years of age and on the brink of entering the promised land again. But this time with a completely different generation, the kids and grandkids of his now dead peers. He had not forgotten the promise that God had made to him through Moses decades earlier. He tells Joshua, “So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’ Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!” Josh. 14:9-10.
The land that had been promised to him was the hill country protected by the feared Anakites. This was arguably some of the most difficult land to conquer and possess. Yet even at 85, Caleb was still a man of vision and faith. He had not become bitter, cynical, or disillusioned. He was a man who seemed to always do things with his whole heart and was led by his convictions. He never forgot God’s promises to him. He continued to accept challenges and his faith actually grew throughout the difficulties of his life. So even as an old man he did not have fear, but rather a hope for the future. He was clearly not motivated by vain ambition, as he himself would not live long enough to enjoy the full promise. His motivation was to leave a legacy for those who were coming behind him. Quite a guy.
But he is not the only one. There were others who had vision into their latter years. Men like Enoch, who walked with God (Gen. 5:22), Abraham (Gen. 25:8), Moses who did mighty deed until he was taken home (Deut. 34:12), Joshua who led Israel and served God all the days of his life (Josh. 24:31). In 2 Tim. 4:6-7 Paul writes, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” I read these accounts, not just as dusty stories of old, but as a personal inspiration of what God can still do through our lives. Just as many of these had their best days in their latter years, so can we. Their God is our God and he has not changed. The challenge is to not allow life to make us bitter and cynical. We can either live with vision for the future or live in the past and not allow the next generation to take up the mantle of leadership.
Well how about us, Have we become cynical and bitter or are we full of vision and hope? What kind of older man or woman do you want to be? What steps are you taking to be like a Caleb?
Inevitable Realities
Before some final concluding thoughts, let me bring us back to three inevitable realities we will likely have to deal with in some way during this season. To finish well we will have to deal with each of these issues: Retirement, Health, and Aging Parents.
As we have discussed in previous episodes, we never really retire from our calling. It is this purpose that gives us meaning in this life. So we don’t have to retire from what we love, even if we have to adjust the scope and pace that we can pursue our dreams. Practical matters as to where we will live now that the children are married and on their own, as well as determining other aspects of our lifestyle will influence our calling during this season.
In our first episodes we observed that in most societies life expectancy has increased over the last century. So with a longer lifespan we have to take practical steps in order that our bodies stay healthy enough to express the vision we still have on the inside. How will we stay healthy as we age? Have we adjusted our eating habits? Do we exercise regularly? Do we reduce our stress and have other interests/hobbies? While we do not control the number of our days, doing our best to keep our mind and body healthy will enable us to finish God’s calling on our life.
Finally, there is the issue of caring for aging parents. Many may have already laid their parents to rest, but for most this is a time of looking after those who looked after us in our younger years. Though the expectations of this will vary from culture to culture, it is likely that we will be responsible to look after our parents to some degree as we seek to honor them in their old age. The degree of our responsibility in this area will impact our lifestyle and our priorities as we have already discussed.
As you consider these three areas, begin to consider how you will deal with each of them. Spend some time discussing this with your spouse and changes you may have to make in your lifestyle.
The Peter Principle
You may have heard of the Peter Principle in leadership, first developed by Laurence J. Peter. He basically observed that in a hierarchical organization, employees tend to get promoted until they reach a level where they are no longer competent. But I would like to introduce you to my own Peter Principle – from the Apostle Peter. Remember in John 21:18 Jesus reinstates Peter and informs him that one day he will not be able to do everything he once did; someone else will dress him and lead him where he may not want to go? The principle I get from Peter is that I am going to have to learn to decrease so that others may increase. This is a process and does not happen overnight or in one year, but the more intentional I am in facilitating this, the better it will be for me and the next generation.
How do we respond as we begin to realize that others no longer seek our advice or opinion as they once did? As the next generation gains greater influence and takes on more responsibilities, what is our attitude? Do we try to hold on to our influence and hold them back, or in humility allow them to take more responsibility? When the time is right, will I graciously release to others the vision that I perhaps never had time to fulfill? Or perhaps the vision that God had given me was not just for me but for future generations? Caleb had the vision, but he did not take the land alone, he had those from the younger generations with him. And he also did something rather unheard of in his day, he actually gave his daughter an inheritance of land. He was ahead of his time.
So what does it take or what attributes does someone like a Caleb have? How do we keep our vision fresh as well as a positive attitude towards the next generation? We have discussed some of these throughout our series, but as we conclude this final episode allow me to offer a few thoughts regarding the characteristics which I think are indispensible to be like a Caleb.
Our Legacy
I think the first attribute in order to become better rather than bitter, is an attitude of gratefulness. Rather than a sense of entitlement or demanding that others now owe us respect, having a grateful attitude, regardless of our circumstances, will go a long way to be like a Caleb. With this attitude I think it is more likely that we will invest in others by mentoring them, celebrating their accomplishment. Instead of regret for why we did not, or could not, do the same things, we can champion others. We can be at peace with who we are and the level of influence we had achieved and no longer compete for influence. This results in a contentment to run in our own lane.
To be like a Caleb, I think we also need to keep our minds sharp and engaged with new ideas and ways of doing things. While this is not always easy, staying mentally sharp will also include continuing to read widely and engaged in lifelong learning. I would suggest that it is also good to continue to think big. Instead of allowing our world to get smaller we can continue to think in macro, big terms, like Caleb, “I am still going to take the hill country.” This does not mean we have to do it on our own, but we don’t have to retire from having a vision and seeing the big picture.
As we have seen, defining retirement as doing nothing, is not only unattractive but actually quite unhealthy. We never have to retire from serving others and having meaning in our lives. While our role and the level of our involvement will change, we can continue to have a productive life mission. The how may change, but we can continue to serve others with our gifts.
Those who age well and finish their race are those who grow in tenderness and compassion. They have learned to be kind, patient, and gracious. Of course this also includes with our spouse, should we be fortunate enough to grow old together. The most important relationship, of course, is with our heavenly Father. Those who finish well, like a Caleb, maintain a vibrant relationship with God and their spiritual life continues to grow and deepen.
We do not need to fear death or for that matter, what will happen in the rest of our lives. Like Paul, we can one day say, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;” (Phil. 1:21-24). Maybe it’s a factor of age, but every decade I am finding myself relating to Paul’s perspective more and more.
As we reflect on these characteristics, Do you know someone like this? What other characteristics do they have? Are you becoming like this? How will the next generation describe you?
Summary
Well we have come to the end of our series. I hope that these few ideas have helped you as you navigate the final lap of your race. My goal was to deal with some of the difficult things we go through in life and provide you some context to deal with these. We also discussed the reasons we have for a new hope in the future and God’s purposes for us during this last season of life. We saw that this will look a bit different for each of us, since we all have to face our own challenges. However, like a Caleb, we can fulfill the calling that God has on our life.
God saves the best for last and so there is no reason to give up. He still have a plan and purpose for your life. Yes, it will look different than when you were younger, but God never retires us from meaningful service. When we all meet on that other shore, may we be able to join the Apostle Paul and say, “we have fought the good fight, we have finished the race, we have kept the faith. . . knowing that there is in store for us the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to us on that day—and not only to us, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Tim 4:7-8).
I don’t know about you, but I am already looking forward to that day. Who knows what amazing adventures and purposes God has prepared for each one of us? But before then we have a race to run, and he has promised to be with us every step of the way. So thanks again for sharing this time with me, may you one day hear those words,
“Well done, my good and faithful servant!